Former Leicester City goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel was on the end of a cruel and heartbreaking aggregate defeat in Celtic’s Champions League game against Bayern Munich.
Schmeichel, who revealed that he nearly joined Bayern, was in a Celtic side that also featured former Fox Jeffrey Schlupp and managed by Leicester’s FA Cup-winning manager Brendan Rodgers.
Heading to the Allianz Arena off the back of a 2-1 loss in the first leg in Glasgow, the odds were stacked against Celtic. But, they were seconds away from going to extra time.
Nicholas Kuhn scored early in the second half and as the clock was just about to strike the 94th minute, Bayern broke Celtic hearts as Alphonso Davies stood close enough to Cameron Carter-Vickers’ clearance for it to ricochet into the back of the net after an excellent Schmeichel save.
It was a cruel way to lose but nobody was going to take anything away from the Leicester legend for his Man of the Match display.
Celtic fans are all in agreement about Kasper Schmeichel’s performance
The 38-year-old produced a monumental performance that included an incredible nine saves on Tuesday night.
| Saves | 9 |
| Diving saves | 3 |
| Saved shots inside the box | 5 |
| Saved shots outside the box | 4 |
| Punches | 1 |
Having been no stranger to the big occasion before, it was a display that deserved plenty of praise.
@JDunnWilson said: “Very cruel on Celtic. They’ve been really good tonight, given everything and they’ve been undone by a real fluke of a goal. Schmeichel so unfortunate to concede the equaliser after having a really solid performance.”
@CelticF1rst added: “That Schmeichel save, where he makes himself big, was like a family recipe, passed down from one generation to the next.”
“When Joe Hart announced he was retiring last season I was really gutted but also, how could we replace what he brought… step up Kasper Schmeichel! He has been immense! The saves he has pulled off, the leadership, the passion and the drive he brings to this team! Never leave!!” @what_vari_said wrote.
@Zoehop_ commented: “Kasper Schmeichel has been immense tonight btw.”
@MeabhMcN also said: “Regardless. Kasper Schmeichel take a bow.
Kasper Schmeichel admits Celtic’s Champions League exit was ‘cruel’
Despite ending in disappointment, Schmeichel and the rest of the Celtic team will hold their heads high.
After the game, the former Fox spoke with dad Peter for a post-match interview on CBS and conceded that “lady luck” was against them.
“It is a cruel game sometimes, he said. “We did everything that we possibly could and lady luck was against us in the last kick of the game.
- READ MORE: Peter Schmeichel: Kasper’s Leicester City title win was ‘bigger’ than winning with Man Utd
“I think coming away to Bayern and obviously, you go out, but we’re disappointed with a draw. I think that says a lot about where this team is going.
“I’m very proud of the boys. I thought we defended really well. I thought everything that we tried to accomplish within the game, but at the end, luck was against us.”