‘LOOKING FOR PERFECTION,’ SCHMEICHEL REVEALS CELTIC CHALLENGES

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KASPER SCHMEICHEL has responded heroically to the seven-goal drubbing in Dortmund in October to play a pivotal role in Celtic’s march into the Champions League play-offs.

Denmark’s legendary 38-year-old keeper has posted three clean sheets and has conceded just two goals in the five games since the mauling from the Bundesliga cracks.

Schmeichel made sure Switzerland’s Young Boys were firing blanks in the Hoops’ solitary goal win at Parkhead last night and that clean sheet followed others in scoreless stalemates against Atalanta in Bergamo and Dinamo Zagreb in the Croatian capital.

I’M IN CHARGE…Great Dane Kasper Schmeichel grasps the ball as the full-time whistle sounds at Parkhead last night.

His incredible double save to deny the Swiss side’s Darian Males in the 63rd minute proved to be a key factor in the club’s latest success.

However, he was forced to admit defeat in the 3-1 win over RB Leipzig and the 1-1 draw with Club Brugge in back-to-back encounters in November in the east end of Glasgow.

Schmeichel has been the perfect fit since replacing his former Manchester City team-mate and close friend Joe Hart following his arrival on a free after his contract expired at Anderlecht.

Reflecting on another epic European confrontation, the netminder, who has just signed an extension to remain at the champions until at least the summer of 2026, said: “An incredible evening. 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.

FOILED…Kasper Schmeichel displays lightning-swift reflexes to beat away a shot from Young Boys’ Darian Males before blocking a follow-up shot from the Swiss opponent.

“There was adversity within the game, but we showed maturity and good experience of how to play at this level.”

Schmeichel, speaking to Celtic TV, continued: “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.”

SAFE HANDS…Kasper Schmeichel makes another save right at the death against Young Boys.

Schmeichel 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.”

MISSION ACCOMPLISHED IN NIGHT OF HIGH DRAMA

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