Viljami Sinisalo is beginning to look right at home in the Celtic goal.
The Finnish keeper has had to bide his time since arriving from Aston Villa last summer, with veteran Kasper Schmeichel brought in to take the number one jersey. But with Schmeichel sidelined in recent weeks, Sinisalo has stepped in and shown composure beyond his years.
He’s grown with each appearance. Calm under pressure, sharp with the ball at his feet and playing out from the back with confidence, Sinisalo hasn’t put a foot wrong in possession — a key trait for any modern Celtic goalkeeper. Against Kilmarnock, he was rarely troubled, but did everything asked of him efficiently, maintaining the tempo and rhythm from the back.
He was caught out for the goal, but it was more a case of experience than error. It wasn’t a glaring mistake — just one of those learning moments young goalkeepers face when playing for a club like Celtic.
With Schmeichel recently signing a one-year contract extension, Celtic are clearly planning for a smooth transition. Sinisalo has the chance to learn from one of the most experienced goalkeepers in the game, and everything suggests he’s soaking it all in.
If he continues on this trajectory, there’s every chance he’ll be ready to take the gloves full-time when the Dane eventually calls it a day.
