Celtic face a crucial goalkeeper decision ahead of Sunday’s Old Firm derby after Viljami Sinisalo delivered what former midfielder Stiliyan Petrov described as a “perfect” performance in the 1-0 victory over Stuttgart. The Finnish keeper’s display has intensified scrutiny on Kasper Schmeichel’s recent form. According to Bbc.com.
Sinisalo stakes claim as Celtic face season-defining fortnight
The 26-year-old Sinisalo made six saves to secure Celtic’s first clean sheet in six matches, stepping in after Schmeichel faced intense scrutiny following a series of errors. Former Celtic goalkeeper Pat Bonner believes Sinisalo did enough to start against Rangers, stating: “On that performance, I would be starting him. Give him a run in the team now.”
Manager Martin O’Neill acknowledged that several players have given him “food for thought” after changing eight of his starting line-up for the Stuttgart match. The 73-year-old praised Sinisalo’s performance, noting: “[Sinisalo] played brilliantly in the game, really well. That’s the name all round the dressing room.”
Celtic now enter a season-defining fortnight that could determine their trophy prospects, with six of their next seven matches away from Celtic Park. The first challenge comes at Ibrox on Sunday, where Celtic trail Rangers by two points having played one game fewer, with Hearts six clear at the top.
The victory over Stuttgart, despite proving insufficient for Europa League progression, demonstrated Celtic’s ability to grind out results when needed. Having not won at Ibrox in four attempts since September 2023, and with Rangers winning their past 10 home matches, the defensive resilience shown in Germany could prove crucial.
Former Celtic defender Johann Mjallby warned there will be “a lot of twists and turns” in the title race, emphasising: “You have to be relentless, otherwise they won’t take the trophies.” The upcoming fixtures include a midweek trip to Aberdeen, a return to Ibrox for the Scottish Cup quarter-final, and a home match against in-form Motherwell.
