Celtic goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel is set to miss the next five to six weeks after sustaining an injury while on international duty, manager Brendan Rodgers confirmed. This absence will rule Schmeichel out of up to seven crucial Celtic matches.

The 38-year-old Danish international, who has made 46 appearances for Celtic this season, picked up the injury during Denmark’s Nations League quarter-final second-leg defeat against Portugal last month. Schmeichel played through the discomfort in the 5-2 loss, which saw Portugal advance 5-3 on aggregate.

Speaking to Celtic TV about the injury, Rodgers stated, “The timeline given to us suggests Schmeichel will be out for around five to six weeks. Kasper is optimistic that it may not be as long, but for now, he will certainly not be available in the immediate future.”

During Schmeichel’s absence, 23-year-old Finnish goalkeeper Viljami Sinisalo stepped in, making his second appearance for the club in Celtic’s 3-0 win over Heart of Midlothian in the Scottish Premiership.

Looking ahead, Celtic’s upcoming schedule includes a visit to St Johnstone on Sunday, followed by a home clash with Kilmarnock on 12 April. Celtic will also face St Johnstone in the Scottish Cup semi-final on 20 April. After that, the defending champions will play five more Premiership fixtures against top-six teams, with a possible Scottish Cup final against either Aberdeen or Hearts on the horizon.

Schmeichel’s return could coincide with a midweek Premiership match scheduled for 14 May, or he may make his comeback during the final round of league fixtures on 17-18 May. The Scottish Cup final is scheduled for 24 May.