Kasper Schmeichel marked his return to action in Celtic’s 3-1 win over Hibernian with a clean, composed display—and a message of gratitude that struck a chord with supporters.
The Danish goalkeeper, who had been sidelined since early April, made his first appearance back between the sticks at Celtic Park on Saturday. After the match, Schmeichel took to Instagram to share his emotions, writing: “Wow I missed this! What an amazing feeling to be back out there. Thank you for the incredible reception. What a performance from the lads.”
It was a classy message from a player whose experience and presence have been missed in recent weeks. The 38-year-old looked sharp and assured on his return, commanding his box and offering vocal leadership throughout. While Martin Boyle’s first-half opener for Hibs was expertly taken, Schmeichel made key interventions to ensure Celtic regained control and saw out the win comfortably.
Kasper’s absence had seen Sinisalo deputise, the Finnish international doing a good job. But Schmeichel’s return comes at an ideal time with the Scottish Cup final on the horizon.
His post-match words also reflected a strong connection with the supporters, who greeted his name with a loud ovation when read over the tannoy before kick-off. You wouldn’t think he has been here less than a season.
Celtic now have two more SPFL games before their Scottish Cup final against Aberdeen. The Hoops will have a dress rehearsal of sorts at Pittodrie during the week before taking on St Mirren on Saturday where post patch they will lift the league title .
