Kasper’s left arm is in a sling – Celtic await MRI result on Schmeichel’s shoulder injury | OneFootball

Kasper Schmeichel’s shoulder injury a cause for concern for Brendan Rodgers, but Viljami Sinisalo is a more than capable replacement if he’s needed to step in against Hearts on Saturday as domestic football returns after the international break…

UEFA Nations League: Portugal – Denmark. Referee Slavko Vincic looks at Denmark’s goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel, who is in pain in the shoulder during the UEFA Nations League playoff match in League A at Josà Alvalade Stadium in Lisbon, Portugal on Sunday, March 23, 2025. (Photo: Bo Amstrup Ritzau Scanpix)

Good News?

“Fortunately, the images do not show anything abnormal,” Morten Boesen, the Denmark squad doctor reported last night after the Celtic keeper was injured making a save against Portugal in Lisbon.

Bad News?

According to Tipsbladet, Schmeichel was spotted this morning with his left arm in a sling near Lisbon Airport, casting significant doubt over the Celtic’s keeper’s chances of playing this weekend.

The Danish doctor said: “Kasper Schmeichel’s left shoulder was X-rayed last night and fortunately the images do not show anything abnormal. He is clearly in pain after a fall on his shoulder, so we are examining him further with an MRI scan.”

So there is a major cause for concern for Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers after last night when Kasper Schmeichel picked up a shoulder injury in Denmark’s 5-2 extra time defeat to Portugal in Lisbon.

The 38 year old has been in splendid form for both club and country this season and this set back will come as a huge blow particularly for Brendan Rodgers at such a vital stage of the campaign.

There is still hope though that it won’t be anything major as results of his scan haven’t yet determined the full extent of his injury, but it’s highly unlikely that The Great Dane will be risked against Hearts on Saturday afternoon at Paradise.

Hopefully it’s nothing major

Hopefully it’s nothing major, but even if it proves to be, we have a decent back up in Viljami Sinisalo. The Finnish keeper has only played one competitive match between the sticks for the hoops, but he has the credentials to cover for Kasper should the need arise.

He’s played plenty of first team football at a fairly decent level, and spent a few years at a big club in Aston Villa. He’s also been a part of the Finnish international squad these past couple of years, and has three full caps to his name. He’s more than an adequate stand in should he be called upon.

Rodgers would have not concerns about playing Sinisalo

Certainly Brendan Rodgers would have not concerns about playing Sinisalo for the run-in matches in the Scottish Premiership and Scottish Cup. Hopefully Kasper Schmeichel will be fine but it certainly seems likely that he’ll not be risked at the weekend with Viljami Sinisalo likely to start.

Viljami Sinisalo of Celtic during the second half of their pre-season friendly match against Manchester City at Kenan Stadium on July 23, 2024 in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. (Photo by Grant Halverson/Getty Images)

Kasper incidentally was injured saving a shot from a player who was yards offside. Had the linesman flagged there would have been no need for Schmeichel to dive and thus sustain an injury. Denmark had already used all their substitutes so Kasper had to play on in considerable discomfort and doing his chances of being fit for the Celtic match against Hearts no good whatsoever.

Konstantinos Koulierakis, Christos Tzolis, Dimitris Pelkas and Christos Zafeiris of Greece celebrate victory following the UEFA Nations League 2024/25 League A/B Play-offs Second Leg match between Scotland and Greece at Hampden Park on March 23, 2025. (Photo by Ian MacNicol/Getty Images)

But what alternative did he have? The defeat means that Denmark are now in Scotland’s World Cup qualifying group alongside Greece – who looked miles better than Scotland at Hampden yesterday evening – and also Belarus. That’s an extremely tough group for Steve Clarke’s side who will start very much as third favourites, with even a play-off spot being a tall order.

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