Celtic goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel was subjected to jeers from sections of the home crowd during Thursday’s 4-1 defeat to Stuttgart in the Europa League play-off round, prompting a defense of the veteran player from former Celtic figures.
The jeering occurred as Stuttgart dominated the match at Parkhead, ultimately securing a significant advantage in the tie. Fans initially protested against the club’s board before the match, and later ironically cheered Schmeichel when he made a save, according to reports. The atmosphere was described as “far from harmonious.”
Schmeichel, 39, was at fault for at least two of Stuttgart’s goals, with the first a tame shot that he appeared to not anticipate, and the third a powerful strike that went straight through him. This performance followed recent criticism of the Denmark international for errors in matches against Kilmarnock and Bologna, raising questions about his form.
Neil Lennon, a former Celtic captain and manager, expressed his disappointment with the fans’ reaction. “It’s bitterly disappointing,” Lennon said, as quoted by multiple sources. “He had a bad night but it still doesn’t warrant that kind of treatment.” Lennon added that Schmeichel is a “distinguished” player who has “won trophies” for the club and that the treatment was “not the Celtic Way.”
Stiliyan Petrov, another former Celtic player, echoed Lennon’s sentiments, stating that Schmeichel was being unfairly singled out for blame. “It’s human nature to look for somebody to take the blame and it seems like in every moment, it’s Kasper Schmeichel,” Petrov said. He also pointed out that the entire team underperformed and that focusing solely on Schmeichel was “harsh.”
Celtic interim manager Martin O’Neill defended Schmeichel post-match, acknowledging the goalkeeper’s recent form but emphasizing the collective responsibility for the defeat. “It’s a tough evening for us,” O’Neill said. “We were masters of our own downfall in many respects, conceded some poor goals.” He highlighted Schmeichel’s previous contributions, including a crucial save against Feyenoord that helped Celtic reach this stage of the competition. “Kasper has made some great saves whereas I’ve been here.”
Captain Callum McGregor also rallied behind Schmeichel, stating that “everyone makes mistakes” and that the goalkeeper has been “amazing” since joining the club. “He’ll dust that down. We win as a team and lose as a team. There’s no blame, he’s made so many big saves for us. He’ll bounce back for sure.”
Celtic now face an uphill battle to overturn the 4-1 deficit in the second leg in Germany next Thursday, with a Scottish Premiership match against Hibernian and a visit to Rangers scheduled either side of the European fixture.
