After the crushing defeat to Borussia Dortmund, Celtic’s number one, Kasper Schmeichel, sought comfort from his legendary father, Peter Schmeichel. Despite the heavy loss, Kasper tried to find silver linings from the experience, determined to use it as motivation for both himself and his teammates.
Kasper Schmeichel allowed himself to feel the sting of Celtic’s crushing defeat to Borussia Dortmund until midnight that night in Germany. However, the experienced goalkeeper believes that the team should never forget the painful 7-0 Champions League drubbing. Rather than trying to erase the memory, Schmeichel is convinced that something positive can emerge from the experience.
Despite the brutal nature of the loss, the Danish keeper sees value in confronting the reality of the defeat. In his view, facing such a tough moment head-on could ultimately strengthen the squad’s resolve and spark improvement. While it was difficult to find a silver lining immediately after the match, Schmeichel remains hopeful that this low point will serve as a turning point for the team.
Kasper Schmeichel’s father, Peter, was on media duty at Signal Iduna Park during Celtic’s disastrous night against Borussia Dortmund. After the final whistle, the Manchester United legend waited in the depths of the stadium to give his son a much-needed hug, as Kasper looked like he could use it. In truth, the entire Celtic squad could have lined up for a comforting embrace from the big Dane after such a bruising loss.
That moment of support seemed to help Kasper bounce back, as he now urges his teammates to keep the memory of the Dortmund drubbing alive—not to dwell on it, but to learn from it. Schmeichel emphasized that it’s vital to move on quickly, but also to remember the harsh lessons from that night. He believes it serves as a clear reminder of what can happen in the Champions League if the team isn’t fully focused for every single minute.
“It’s a case of moving on very fast,” Schmeichel said. “The most important thing from a night like that is to learn from it. It can even be a good thing if you do. It’s something to refer to now—remember that night. Remember what happened, because if we are not 100 percent on it for every single minute, that’s what can happen.”
“I’m hoping we can turn it into a positive,” Schmeichel continued, emphasizing the importance of Celtic’s leadership group in guiding the team forward. “That’s our responsibility as the leadership group. That’s life, that’s football. This game has an incredible way of bringing you back down to earth sometimes. But we also have to remember the big picture. We’ve had a good start to the season, and this is obviously a lesson we have to learn from.
“Schmeichel stressed that despite the heavy defeat, the team must not lose sight of the progress they’ve made so far. He views the Dortmund loss as a sobering reminder of the harsh realities of top-level football, but also as an opportunity for growth. The goalkeeper is determined to use the setback as motivation to ensure Celtic are better prepared for the challenges ahead.
“Football is an industry where you experience the highest of highs and the lowest of lows, but you have to move on very quickly,” Schmeichel explained. “Throughout my career, I’ve always had a rule where I allow myself to feel whatever emotions come—whether it’s joy from winning or devastation from losing—until midnight. After midnight, we move on. That’s my rule. Now, it’s about focusing on Ross County on Sunday.
”Schmeichel’s “midnight rule” highlights his mental resilience, allowing him to process both victory and defeat within a set time frame before shifting his focus to the next challenge. With the heavy defeat now behind him, he’s turning his attention to the upcoming Premiership fixture, determined to lead Celtic forward.
That’s fair enough, but there’s no chance Tuesday night’s disaster will be swept under the carpet. Celtic had been making plenty of positive noise leading up to the match, giving fans hope that this time it would be different—that they wouldn’t have to endure the same disappointing narrative at this level. However, what unfolded was yet another horror show, one that ranks among the most grueling performances Celtic has ever suffered on the European stage.In the aftermath, the blame game has been in full swing, with no one escaping scrutiny. Brendan Rodgers, in particular, has faced heavy criticism for his tactical decisions, which some believe contributed to this third seven-goal hammering under his management. For many, this painful defeat is a reminder that Celtic still have a lot of work to do if they are to compete at the highest level of European football.
Dortmund expertly navigated any attempts by Celtic to apply pressure, ruthlessly capitalizing on the Hoops’ frequent mistakes and constant loss of possession in their own half. As the game progressed, Celtic’s defensive structure unraveled at an alarming rate. However, Schmeichel doesn’t believe that the team needs to completely abandon their approach or overhaul their entire style of play for European competitions. Instead, he advocates for refining their strategy, emphasizing the need to learn from their mistakes while maintaining the core principles that have brought them success domestically. Schmeichel remains confident that, with adjustments and a focus on discipline, Celtic can compete more effectively in future European encounters without sacrificing their identity.
He said: “There’s always a debate. That approach has been very successful for us this season. Sometimes you just come up against an opposition where everything goes their way. Dortmund are a good team, and we caught them on their best day while they caught us on our worst day.“They had one of those nights where everything worked for them. We’ve experienced plenty of days like that ourselves this season already. That’s football sometimes. The most important thing is that we now take our medicine and learn from this experience. We need to accept the defeat, analyze what went wrong, and use it as motivation moving forward.” Schmeichel’s perspective reflects a realistic understanding of the highs and lows of football, recognizing that while this loss was painful, it’s also an opportunity for growth and improvement as they look to bounce back in their upcoming matches.
“It’s all well and good when you take the praise like we have been doing this season,” Schmeichel stated. “But we also have to take it on the chin after we get a result like this. For me, the big thing now is the response. How do we respond? It’s great to have a good start to the season, but we need to feel this one because it hurts. After that, we have to move on to Sunday.”Tuesday served as a stark reality check for the Denmark keeper, who had enjoyed a couple of months where everything seemed to be going his way. Up until then, Schmeichel had yet to concede a goal in the Premiership this season and was part of a side that had won nine consecutive games before facing Dortmund.Despite the trauma of the defeat, Schmeichel remains optimistic and insists it won’t dampen his spirits or hinder Celtic’s chances of advancing to the Champions League knockout stages. “I always say, nothing in football is easy,” he remarked. “If it were easy, everyone would be doing it.” This mindset underscores his determination to bounce back and continue pushing for success with Celtic.
“You have to earn absolutely everything in this game. No one is going to give you anything,” Schmeichel emphasized. “The other night, we faced the kind of result that we have dished out a few times already this season.“It was a tough night, but overall, my experience since joining the club has been fantastic. That result was an isolated incident—a freak occurrence that can happen now and then—but it’s definitely not indicative of our season as a whole. Remember, this is the first time we’ve lost this season, and it won’t damage our belief moving forward. “We are just two games into an eight-game campaign in the Champions League, so there’s still a long way to go. Our focus now is on bouncing back and showing our true potential in the next matches.” Schmeichel’s words reflect a resilient mindset, reminding everyone that setbacks are part of the game and that Celtic has the ability to regroup and refocus as they continue their European journey.
“I’ve been lucky enough to be at the other end of some of those kinds of games as well,” Schmeichel reflected. “Sometimes it feels like everything the opposition hits just goes in. They get the luck or the rub of the green to achieve a result like that. However, it’s important to remember that this isn’t one of those results that truly reflects us as a team. “We’ve had a very good start to the season, and we need to keep that in perspective. Our performances up to this point show our capabilities, and we can’t let one unfortunate night overshadow all the hard work we’ve put in. We have to focus on what’s ahead and build on the positives from our start.” Schmeichel’s perspective highlights the unpredictability of football while reinforcing the importance of maintaining confidence and a positive mindset, even in the face of adversity.