Celtic's Kasper Schmeichel has lauded the club's advancement to the knockout stages of the Champions League as a "massive achievement" following their 1-0 victory over Young Boys.

The win ensures Celtic's progression to at least the play-off round, with a seeded position and potentially direct entry to the last 16 still up for grabs when they face Aston Villa in Birmingham next Wednesday.

Schmeichel, who has contributed three clean sheets in seven games, expressed his pride post-match: "It’s a massive achievement," said the ex-Leicester keeper, who penned a new one-year deal ahead of the game. "What was it, 2012 the last time? For a club of this size, that’s where we should be. That was the aim at the start of the season."

READ MORE: Former Aston Villa and Manchester United star's future decided after club decision

READ MORE: Malen debut, Duran decision - Aston Villa starting XI vs West Ham predicted

The Danish shot-stopper also reflected on the prestige of the Champions League: "Champions League is the highest level and I have only played in the Champions League once before and we went through then as well. Any time you go into the highest level and take that opportunity to go through then it’s a huge thing."

Celtic managed to shed the "nearly men" label referred to by captain Callum McGregor prior to the match. Despite hitting the woodwork, missing a penalty, and having three goals ruled out in the first 60 minutes, they broke the deadlock thanks to Reo Hatate's sublime pass and Adam Idah's incisive run, which resulted in an own goal.

However, Schmeichel's crucial double save was pivotal as the Swiss champions looked to rally in the second half.

The 38 year old Denmark international reflected on his team's performance, saying: "It kept it at 0-0 and gives us the opportunity to go and win but that’s what we are there for. I think it was the only real chance they had."

"We played a really good game, defended really well. I thought we were excellent first half. Second half they changed their pressing a little bit and made it a little bit more difficult for us but we kept going."

"We get a little bit of luck for the goal but the build-up is what we have been working on so it worked very well."

Celtic, carrying forward their impressive streak, keep making waves, as the veteran added, "Barring one game we have been solid, we have been very good. We have had some very mature performances. In the Leipzig game we were excellent."

His assessment didn't shy from acknowledging setbacks as learning points: "I think we learned our lesson in Dortmund and bounced back really well. Sometimes you learn when you have a tough time."

The squad's resilience shines through his words: "We went to Atalanta, one of the highest scoring teams in Europe, and kept them from scoring. We have kept learning."

Schmeichel emphasised the collective ethos, stating, "That’s the mark of the squad, we never get carried away, we stay humble and keep learning."