Mika Baur Aims for Champions League Glory with Celtic
Mika Baur walked off Celtic Park with the noise still ringing in his ears and one thought in his head – he wants more of this, and he wants it in the Champions League.
The 22-year-old German midfielder is still fresh in Glasgow, still learning the city and the squad, but his home debut in last week’s 3-0 win over LASK has lit a fire. Now he wants to finish the job in tonight’s play-off second leg and turn that first taste of Parkhead into a permanent seat at Europe’s top table.
“It was incredible,” Baur said, still sounding a little wide-eyed as he recalled that first run-out under the Celtic Park lights. “The atmosphere and energy in the stadium – I knew it before from sitting in front of the TV and now to feel it in real life is incredible, such a nice feeling.
“Playing in the Champions League is a dream for every young kid growing up watching football.”
Celtic carry a commanding 3-0 advantage to Austria after that convincing first-leg victory, Martin O’Neill’s side putting one foot firmly in the group stage with a ruthless display in Glasgow. For Baur, it was a perfect introduction: a dominant performance, a roaring crowd, and the sense that he has walked into a club on the brink of something bigger.
But nobody inside the dressing room is talking as if the tie is done.
O’Neill has been clear all week that complacency will not be tolerated. Baur has taken that message on board.
“It’s difficult because we know they are a good team,” he warned. “They made a good match in Glasgow, so we know what we have to do.
“We need the same mentality and energy to hopefully win again.”
That word – energy – keeps coming back. It’s what struck Baur most about Celtic Park. It’s what O’Neill demands. It’s what he believes will carry them over the line in Austria.
Baur arrived from Paderborn with a reputation as a tidy, intelligent midfielder, but what has surprised him most in Scotland isn’t the pace or the physicality. It’s the man in charge.
The youngster reserved special praise for O’Neill as he continues to settle into his new surroundings.
“He makes us feel comfortable, his way to manage the team is different to how I know it in Germany, but he’s really, really impressive,” Baur said.
The change in culture has come off the pitch as well. New league, new language rhythms, new city. Training ground one minute, flat hunting the next.
“There’s a lot going on at the moment, but I really enjoy it,” he added. “To meet new people and play with them, it’s a different style but I really enjoy it and to walk around the city, look for apartments, it’s a nice time at the moment.”
Life is moving quickly for Baur: new club, new country, and now the chance to step straight into the Champions League in his first season at Celtic. The home debut gave him a glimpse of what that could feel like.
Beat LASK tonight, and that “incredible” noise at Celtic Park might just become the soundtrack to his European dream.
