It has been a long time coming, but Celtic are in the knockout stages of the Champions League.
A two-legged play-off date with Bayern Munich awaits the champions of Scotland, starting next Wednesday night at Parkhead.
Celtic are in strong form heading into that match and Brendan Rodgers is well aware of the task in hand for his team.
Yes, all the talk has been about Celtic not signing a striker after Kyogo Furuhashi’s exit, but you sense the bigger test is going to be for the defence.
That’s where Kasper Schmeichel comes into the equation because, if he has the game of his life, then Celtic are in with a real chance to, at the very least, go to Munich with a fighting chance.
Schmeichel’s form during the league phase – where he kept three clean sheets – is an example that it can be done.
Whilst UEFA’s official social media account recognised the Denmark international, alongside other great keepers this season.
Did Kasper Schmeichel make the best save in the Champions League this season?
UEFA aren’t in Celtic fans’ good books, as a potential ban is around the corner for the away faithful ahead of that Germany trip.
It remains to be seen what happens with that one!
But UEFA posed the following question on their socials, ‘Elite league phase saves. Which one was the best?’
To nobody’s surprise, Celtic’s number one made the shortlist, alongside other great keepers in the competition.
Celtic’s win over RB Leipzig during the league phase was one of their best performances in Europe for a very long time, so it’s fitting that Schmeichel’s save, down to his left-hand side, from Christoph Baumgartner’s shot, made the list.
Schmeichel’s stats for Celtic in the Champions League
Given that Celtic conceded a horror seven at Dortmund in just the second match week, then how the team bounced back from all of that has to be applauded.
That included keeping a clean sheet away at Atalanta – one of the highest scorers in Europe – and also a clean sheet during that crucial win over Young Boys.
If Schmeichel manages to keep another against Munich in the first leg, then the Parkhead crowd will take the roof off.
| Competition | Apps | Goals conceded | Clean Sheets | Minutes Played | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 | UEFA Champions League | 8 | 14 | 3 | 720′ |
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