Kasper Schmeichel insists that Hampden glory is his only concern ahead of Sunday’s Premier Sports Cup Final against Rangers.
For the veteran Celtic goalkeeper, the key to triumph lies in precision, not emotion, as he seeks to add his first piece of silverware since joining the club.
Schmeichel, 38, has been a revelation since his summer arrival on a one-year deal with an option for a further 12 months. His hunger, drive, and professionalism have earned plaudits from manager Brendan Rodgers, who has hailed the keeper’s impact.
Celtic retain the option to extend Schmeichel’s stay, but the Dane is not looking beyond the immediate challenges. With his vast experience, he knows the value of focusing on the present and the importance of taking nothing for granted.
“Next game,” Schmeichel said when asked about his future.
“With the experience I have, the one thing experience has really taught me is to never take anything for granted. Take every single day as it comes. Enjoy every single game that you get to play. And then we take it from there.
“At the moment, it’s not even on my radar. The most important thing is winning on Sunday now.”
Removing Emotion from the Occasion
Schmeichel acknowledges the magnitude of the Old Firm showdown but is adamant that controlling emotions is crucial for success.
“I think these types of games, it’s important for us as players to take the emotion out of the game, to play the game, not the occasion,” he explained.
“Play it with precision and make sure that we hit the standards that we’ve set and we keep being ambitious, we keep pushing forward.
“It’s a great occasion, particularly for the fans. Like I said before, for us as players, it’s about removing the emotion from the game. Playing the game and not getting caught up in the emotion and the occasion.
“Our job is to go and win a football match, and I think that’s how we should approach it. It’s a terrific ground. Every time I’ve played there, there’s always been a good pitch, always been a good atmosphere, so I’m really looking forward to it.”
Memories of Success with Rodgers
Schmeichel’s connection with Rodgers stretches back to their FA Cup victory with Leicester City in 2021. Reflecting on that triumph over Chelsea, he said:
“It was a very tight game as these things tend to be, and we had a great day.
“Unfortunately, it was just as we were reopening for COVID, so we didn’t actually get to celebrate it with our fans. Then the problem was we were playing three days after against Chelsea again, so it wasn’t that much that we got to celebrate it. But it’s a very positive experience.”
While the opportunity to celebrate with fans at Hampden is tantalizing, Schmeichel remains focused on the immediate task. “One thing at a time,” he said sharply when asked about celebrating post-match.
Champions League and Celtic Standards
The Cup Final comes on the back of another Champions League clean sheet for Schmeichel, secured in Zagreb. For the keeper, such high-stakes occasions are now part of life at a club of Celtic’s stature.
“I think it’s a good sign that you’re coming away from a European game, we’ve drawn and kept a clean sheet, and we’re still slightly disappointed,” he said. “It was a tough game.
“When you join a club like Celtic, the size of the club, everywhere you go, you even see [in Zagreb] how many fans that travel. That’s not normal. I’ve played in a lot of clubs, and that’s not normal that you have that amount of support everywhere you go.
“One of the reasons also is to perform and to get results for all those people who travel, spend a lot of money to come in and support their team. They’re just as important occasions.”
Schmeichel believes that the club’s history sets the standards players must meet.
“At a club like Celtic, you walk in the training ground, you walk in the stadium, it’s just steeped in history. You look around, every single photo on the wall is of some kind of legend lifting a trophy, so you know what’s expected.”
With Hampden on the horizon, Schmeichel’s focus is unwavering. For him, it’s not about sentiment or nostalgia; it’s about delivering results and adding another chapter to Celtic’s illustrious story.
