Mika Baur's Incredible Celtic Park Debut
Mika Baur walked into Celtic Park as a debutant and walked out hooked for life.
The 22-year-old German midfielder, a summer arrival from Paderborn, is still buzzing from his first appearance in front of a full house in Glasgow – and now he wants to turn that rush into a place in the Champions League group stage by finishing the job against LASK.
‘Incredible’ first taste of Parkhead
Baur’s competitive bow for Celtic came quietly enough, off the bench at Tannadice in the League Cup. His real introduction arrived last week under the lights at Celtic Park, when Martin O'Neill’s side dismantled LASK 3-0 in the first leg of their Champions League play-off.
“It was incredible,” Baur said, still sounding slightly wide-eyed at the memory. “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.”
That dream is now within touching distance. Celtic carry a three-goal advantage into tonight’s second leg against the Austrians, a commanding cushion that has the supporters already thinking about group-stage nights and heavyweight visitors.
O’Neill will not allow anyone inside the dressing room to think that way. Not yet.
No room for complacency
The manager has been clear all week: this tie is not over. 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.”
Celtic’s dominance in the first leg never quite tipped into arrogance, and O’Neill wants the same edge in Austria – front-foot football, intensity without the sloppiness that can creep in when a side feels too secure.
For Baur, the equation is simple. Match the aggression and hunger of last week, and the reward is the competition he grew up watching on television. Fall short, and that dream is postponed.
Settling into Glasgow – and into O’Neill’s plans
Away from the floodlights, Baur is still finding his feet in a new city and a new football culture. The transition has been eased by a manager he already holds in high regard.
“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.
There is a lot happening at once for him: a move abroad, a new league, a new style of play, and the small matter of trying to break into a midfield at a club where expectation never dips.
“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.”
The off-field details can wait. Tonight, the focus narrows to one task: protect that 3-0 lead, impose Celtic’s game again, and turn an “incredible” first taste of Parkhead into the start of a full-blown Champions League adventure.
