Mika Baur Joins Celtic: Aiming for Champions League Glory

Mika Baur has barely set foot in Glasgow, but his eyes 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 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 once the paperwork cleared, there was no doubt in his mind.

“I think it's the best next step,” Baur said, speaking about the move 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 was the lure: a team that expects to win, a stadium that demands it, and European nights that define careers. Baur made it clear he is not just here to make up the numbers.

“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,” he said. “So, yeah, I think it's the right move.”

Before he can think about LASK, there is a more immediate stage. Baur could make his debut as early as Saturday in the League Cup tie against Dundee United, a first chance for Celtic supporters to see what the new signing brings.

He does not hesitate when asked to describe his own game.

“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 is exactly what his new coaches want from him, and he knows it.

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

The stage he craves is coming quickly. The question now is whether Mika Baur can turn that hunger into a Champions League breakthrough in Celtic green.