Viljami Sinisalo has spent much of his Celtic career so far waiting for chances. The Finnish goalkeeper arrived from Aston Villa in the summer of 2024 and has mostly worked as second choice. Yet moments from Celtic’s recent Ibrox trip showed why the coaching staff trust him.

An unseen clip from Celtic’s On The Road: Rangers v Celtic (08/03/26) video captures Sinisalo speaking with teammates and staff before the penalty shootout. Benjamin Nygren, Julian Araujo and Joel Mvuka are nearby, while goalkeeping coach Stevie Woods and assistant Shaun Maloney are also involved in the conversation.

The clip is short but revealing. Sinisalo is calm and engaged, speaking with teammates and staff before heading out. For a player who has spent long spells on the bench, he carries himself like someone who expects to play.

That attitude was clear during the Scottish Cup tie itself. The game ran to 120 minutes without a goal and eventually went to penalties. Sinisalo had little chance with one other strike, but two moments stood out.

He guessed the right way for Nedim Bajrami’s effort and nearly stopped it, the ball slipping underneath him after he got down. Later he stretched for Ryan Naderi’s penalty and was inches away again, fingertips close to pushing it wide.

Those details matter for a goalkeeper. Reading the taker correctly and getting across the goal shows preparation and confidence. Even without the save, the reaction tells you plenty about his level.

At 24 he is still young for a goalkeeper. Celtic have seen enough already to know there is something to work with. His voice is often heard organising the defence and he rarely looks rushed when the ball comes into the box.

The Ibrox performance added another layer. A shootout in that stadium is pressure most keepers would rather avoid, yet Sinisalo handled the moment well.

Supporters expected a capable backup when he arrived from Aston Villa. What they have seen instead is a goalkeeper who looks ready for bigger responsibility.

That mix of composure and belief is not easy to teach. For Sinisalo, it may be the trait that takes him further than many initially expected.