The match at Celtic Park was one of those that test the heart of a fan: high emotion, a missed penalty, goals VAR-disallowed, and, in the end, a 1-0 win against Young Boys. The goal came, somewhat ironically, via an unlucky deflection by defender Loris Benito in the 89th minute. The result, despite the narrow scoreline, carried a great deal of weight, with it guaranteeing that Celtic will at least enter the Champions League playoffs and keeping alive hopes of direct qualification to the round of 16.
Follow Playing for 90 on X (Twitter).
Game of resilience and maturity
Celtic came onto the pitch carrying the expectations of a fan base that turns the stadium into a cauldron. During the first half, it was clear this was not going to be an easy win: missed penalty, goals ruled out by VAR, opponent pressure.
But veteran goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel was quick to underline that maturity made the difference: "There were adversities in the game, but we showed maturity and good experience in playing at this level”.
The first one is Schmeichel, signed up this season as a replacement for Joe Hart. The Danish goalkeeper is among the defensive structures that have become balanced and helped Celtic confirm their record of clean sheets in seven out of their ten home games against Swiss teams in all European competitions so far. This is where power comes in to play for Celtic at Celtic Park.
One can't talk about the match without talking about the atmosphere at Celtic Park. The Champions League anthem, the incessant chanting of the fans, and the pressure that puts on opponents makes for an atmosphere not really comparable to any other. As Schmeichel said, "I was looking at their bench and players while the anthem was playing, and you could see it wasn't normal for them.
This energy doesn't just unsettle the opponents — it elevates Celtic's players. The victory over Young Boys was further proof of how supporters act as an extension of the team, driving the squad even in those most troubled moments.
A historic streak and what's next
The win also marked Celtic’s unbeaten streak in their last five Champions League group-stage matches (2 wins and 3 draws), their longest run without a loss in the modern era of the competition. Furthermore, the team has lost only one of their last eight games in the tournament, showcasing a level of consistency rarely seen in recent years.
But the task is still insurmountable. At present, Celtic lies 18th in the catch-all table and must win the last one against Aston Villa to keep the dream of finishing top eight alive for direct qualification to the round of 16, but a win alone will not suffice; the team will need favorable results from elsewhere as well.
Kasper Schmeichel
Since his arrival, Kasper Schmeichel has brought a sense of security that was missing in Celtic's defensive line. More than that, he has become a leader on and off the field. The recent announcement of his contract extension was met with excitement by fans and by Schmeichel himself, who sees playing for Celtic as the realization of a dream.
Being a Celtic player is a privilege, and with increasing age comes this realization of playing at a size where it becomes rather scarce. He further outlined underlined that it was the weight of the jersey, its lure forcing this side onto striving for perfection continuously: "The challenge of playing for Celtic, which in fact turns into the thrill, is simply due to a quest to go close to perfection at your performance level, nothing more".