Celtic midfielder Mika Baur has been blown away by the form of teammate Benjamin Nygren, who has racked up eight goals and assists in just four games. Baur, who sparkled on his full debut last week as the Hoops swept LASK aside 3-0, has already struck up a strong understanding with skipper Callum McGregor in midfield.
The £1.7million signing from FC Nordsjælland rifled a rocket past the Austrians to break the deadlock in Glasgow before teeing up Camilo Duran for a priceless third. Baur, who arrived in a £6.8m move from Bundesliga outfit Paderborn, hopes the Swedish World Cup star sticks around after helping him settle into life in Scotland.
Baur praises Nygren and McGregor
Baur said: “He’s an incredible player. He's so good at the ball. Also his work rate is quite high. He also speaks a lot with me. He helps me. I really enjoy playing with him.”
The Germany Under-21 international also praised veteran skipper McGregor for helping him adjust quickly. He said: “Callum really helped me. It’s not like I can tell you exactly what he said to me. It's more some tips during the match, before, after and during the break. Just small details, but they helped me a lot to feel comfortable.”
Although Celts pushed the boat out to land Baur, Martin O’Neill is expected to bolster the central area with another couple of additions. Baur said: “Hopefully it happens because we need good players. We need to be a strong team, a strong squad. Everybody should like the competition.”
Champions League dream within reach
It’s been a meteoric rise for Baur over the last 12 months. Last year, the 22-year-old was cutting his teeth in Germany’s third tier on loan with Dynamo Dresden. Now he is just 90 minutes away from fulfilling a career dream of playing in the Champions League.
He got his first taste of the famous Celtic Park roar last week, saying: “I feel really good coming here. Last week was a tough match, with a lot going on for me personally, but it was a big win for us as a team. I felt really comfortable because the team helped me a lot. It was just amazing to feel the atmosphere, to feel the energy. It pushed me a lot. I had goosebumps. When it stopped and everyone was shouting, it was so loud, it was incredible. I’ve never experienced anything like that before.”
He added: “Did I sign to play in the Champions League? For sure it was one reason. To have the Champions League nights, everyone talks about them. But it was also other points like the size of the club, the playing style, which is really dominant. And also a personal development to build the character.”
Focus on the final hurdle
Yet the level-headed star isn’t getting carried away and knows that Celts still have to navigate the final hurdle before digging out the passports for Europe’s biggest stage. He said: “It’s not about thinking about the next big thing. It's about tomorrow. It's about our match tomorrow, what we have to do. Our mentality, our energy needs to be the same as we had last week, so that’s what I’m thinking about. Do I have a dream opponent? No. Every big club plays in the Champions League. There are a few I want to play one time. No one in particular.”
O’Neill imposed a strict social media ban last week to ensure his troops remain focused on finishing off the job in Linz. Throwing away a priceless three-goal first-leg lead would be unthinkable for the Parkhead side, who crashed out to Kairat Almaty at this stage last term. But with LASK having two first-half goals chalked off for offside, Baur knows the Scottish champions cannot afford to take their eye off the prize tonight.
He said: “I think we should do the same as we did last week. We need energy, we need the ball, we need to attack, we need to defend. So I think it should be no different, I hope. LASK showed they are a dangerous team. They played well, had a couple of chances and two goals disallowed. So we have to be focused and concentrated.”
After splashing out upwards of £23m on a new-look frontline, Baur has full confidence Celts will have enough firepower to suck the life out of the crowd inside the Raiffeisen Arena. He said: “Yeah, for sure. It pushes us. We know we are always able to create chances. We are always able to score goals, but we are also able to defend and fight.”
And Baur revealed his loved ones are set to make the road trip from Germany for tonight’s clash. He added: "I have friends and family coming. Seven or eight people. They’re going to drive down and stay in a hotel. It's still about four hours. It will be really incredible for them to experience the Celtic support in a game like this. Everyone loves the club, everyone wants to give good energy, positive energy, especially on a Champions League night. Everybody felt it in the team last week, especially me. It was new for me."
