Celtic’s Schmeichel ‘could’ve played last game’

Celtic goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel may have played his “last football game” with surgery required on his shoulder but he is eager to “fight” to regain fitness.

The Denmark international, 39, last played on 22 February and will have the first of two operations later this month. He will miss his country’s World Cup play-off semi-final against North Macedonia on 26 March.

The former Leicester City keeper is out of contract at the end of the season and faces up to a year of recovery.

“I could’ve potentially played my last football game,” Schmeichel told CBS Sports Golazo.

“I’ve been a footballer since the day I was born. It’s devastating. It’s very, very hard to wrap my head around at the moment.

“I got the message [on Tuesday] that it could potentially be the end of my career. By the time I could get back fit I could be plus 40.

Viljamo Sinisalo has featured in Celtic’s past five fixtures while Schmeichel has still been taking part in training.

“I’m going to need two surgeries now to fix my shoulder,” 2016 Premier League winner Schmeichel explained.

“I’ve torn the bicep, torn the rotator cuff, dislocated the shoulder, torn the labrum. Everything’s gone.

“To maybe put it into terms you can understand, it’s like an outfielder doing his ACL and their Achilles at the same time

“It’s looking like 10-12 months of rehab.

Kasper’s father Peter, the former Denmark and Manchester United keeper, was being interviewed in the same segment.

“Whatever situation he was facing, I tried to be there, as a father, as a dad,” he said.

“I don’t want this to end with an injury like that.

“Shoulder injury for a goalkeeper, you can’t imagine how bad that is. Every time you dive to that side, you land on it.