Mika Baur Joins Celtic Ahead of Champions League Play-Off

Mika Baur has barely unpacked his bags in Glasgow, but his sights are already fixed on the floodlights of the Champions League.

The 22-year-old midfielder has completed his move from German side Paderborn to Celtic, arriving just in time to be involved in next week’s Champions League play-off against Austrian club LASK. The deal dragged on longer than he would have liked, but when it finally went through, there was no doubt in his mind he had chosen the right stage.

“I think it's the best next step,” Baur said, speaking about the switch to Celtic. “It's a great club, it's a big club. You play in front of a big crowd, you're dominating the league.”

That dominance at home is only part of the attraction. What really pulls him is Europe – the anthem, the lights, the pressure.

“You have the international games, the Champions League matches at night on the big stage. I want to show the people and also myself that I'm ready for that. So, yeah, I think it's the right move.”

Before he gets anywhere near that play-off, Baur could get his first taste of Scottish football in the League Cup. He is in line to make his debut on Saturday against Dundee United, a quick introduction to the intensity of domestic competition.

If he plays, Celtic fans will get an early look at the type of midfielder they have signed. Baur is clear about what he brings.

“I'm really good on the ball,” he said. “I think I developed myself and my game off the ball last season. So, I'm running a lot, I'm fighting, but I want to be a playmaker, I want the ball at my feet.”

That blend of industry and invention is exactly what his new coaches have demanded.

“That's what they expect from me and that's what you guys can also expect,” he added. “That I try my best and leave my heart on the field every time.”

The Champions League lights will come soon enough. For Baur, the message is simple: give him the ball, give him the stage, and let him prove he belongs.