KASPER SCHMEICHEL has blamed Celtic team-mate Jeffrey Schlupp for the keeper missing out on the Golden Glove award.
The 38-year-old Danish international and the on-loan Crystal Palace left-back were colleagues in the Leicester City side that won the title in 2015/16.
The Midlands club had already created history by winning the flag when they went into the final day of the season against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge.
Schmeichel, though, had his eyes on a coveted personal trophy as the netminder with the most clean sheets in the English Premier League.
The towering shotstopper shared top spot with 15 shut-outs alongside his opponent that afternoon, Petr Cech, and Manchester City’s Joe Hart, his predecessor at the Hoops, and Manchester United’s David De Gea.
With four minutes to play in London, Leicester were 1-0 ahead through a strike from Danny Drinkwater when referee Craig Pawson had a decision to make.
Schmeichel, speaking on The Overlap podcast, recalled: “The year we won the league I lost the Golden Glove because someone gave away a penalty at Chelsea.”
Jamie Carragher, hosting the show, asked: “Who gave it away?”
The veteran No.1 immediately answered: “Jeff Schlupp.”
Spanish midfielder Cesc Fabregas accepted the award and slotted the ball past the helpless Schmeichel for the home side’s equaliser in a 1-1 draw.
Schmeichel, though, clearly bears no grudges and was happy to team up again with the Ghanian international defender at Parkhead when Brendan Rodgers sought cover for Greg Taylor in the No.3 position.
Schlupp, who scored his first Celtic goal with the opener in the 5-2 win over St Mirren in Paisley at the weekend, revealed he had spoken to his former colleague and ex-Hoops striker Odsonne Edouard before agreeing to the short-term switch from Palace in January.
The 32-year-old utility player added: “I spoke to Kasper and he just said how much he loves it here and how much I would love it here if I came to the club.
“With the coach and the winning mentality here, it would be just great to be a part of something like that.
“I spoke to Odsonne Edouard plenty of times about Celtic. He came down to Palace from Celtic and he loved his time at the club and he told me how much I would love it and that it was a great city.
“It was an easy sell for me.”
Schmeichel and Schlupp are likely to line up alongside each other when the holders face Hibs in the Scottish Cup quarter-final at Parkhead on Sunday afternoon.
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