Wednesday was a day of celebration all round for Celtic’s No. 1, Kasper Schmeichel. Early in the day it was announced that the Danish internationalist had signed a one-year extension to his contract, meaning that he will be between the sticks for the Celts next season. And he followed that news up with an outstanding performance at Celtic Park on Wednesday evening, producing top class saves to help the Hoops on their way to the playoffs for the UCL last-16. And speaking to Celtic TV after the Celts’ 1-0 victory over YB Bern, Schmeichel was full of praise for the team’s performance as he reflected on an epic night under the lights at Paradise. “An incredible evening,” he said. “These nights are really special. “We talk about it a lot in the dressing room, to take these kind of opportunities because they’re so rare. “Full credit to the boys, I thought particularly in the first half that we were excellent. “There was adversity within the game but we showed maturity and good experience of how to play at this level. ‘The challenge of playing for Celtic is that you’re looking for perfection. You’ve got to get as close to that as possible and I think the fans play their part in terms of creating an atmosphere.’ “I was looking over to their bench and their players when the anthem was going and you could see that it wasn’t normal to them, so that’s up to the players to live up to that. “You need guys to step up and everyone does that every day. Everyone rises to that challenge, they relish it. It’s a joy to be a part of.”Schmeichel’s arrival at Paradise in the summer transfer window as the replacement for Joe Hart has proved to be a perfect fit for both the player and the club. It’s no surprise then that the news of the Danish keeper’s contract extension is music to the ears of everyone connected with the club. And commenting on his decision to remain with the Celts, Schmeichel said that having the opportunity to play for a club of Celtic’s stature was the key factor in his decision. He added: “Being a Celtic player is a privilege and when you get older, you realise that the opportunity to play at a club of this size doesn’t just come along. “I had to wait a good 19 or 20 years of my career to play at a club of this size, and these nights are special. “I’ve played in these kind of occasions before, but you realise that they are few and far between, so you’ve got to enjoy them.” MORE ON THE MATCH Celtic march on in the Champions League – MATCH REPORT Manager: We produced a mature performance – READ NOW Callum McGregor on the match – WATCH NOW UCL post-match reaction podcast – LISTEN NOW Match Gallery – VIEW NOW FixturesCeltic Vs. Young Boys – Wed, Jan 22nd 2025, 20:00
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