Mika Baur calls for show of fight from Celtic against the Rangers | OneFootball

Midfielder Mika Baur has called on Celtic to show fight and bring the right energy and mentality when they host the Rangers in the Scottish Premiership tomorrow following a bruising week of damaging defeats…

Mika Baur of Celtic scores his team’s first goal during the UEFA Europa League 2026/27 League Phase MD1 match between Celtic FC and Ferencvarosi TC at Celtic Park on September 17, 2026. (Photo by Ian MacNicol/Getty Images)

Celtic have suffered two damaging losses in quick succession, one to bitter rivals in the Premier Sports Cup, with the other a Europa League home loss to Ferencvaros.

But Mika Baur who scored his second goal for the club in the loss to the Hungarians, is remaining positive, and has urged his teammates to do likewise.

“Just fight for it on Sunday. I think that’s the most important thing,” Mika Baur

“Stick together again,” Baur responded, via Glasgow Times, when asked what Celtic must do better. “Get the energy level really, really high on Sunday. I think that’s the most important thing, to be in the fights and the duels. Just fight for it on Sunday. I think that’s the most important thing.

9th September 2026; McDiarmid Park, Scottish Premiership St Johnstone versus Celtic; Mika Baur of Celtic celebrates after he shoots and scores in the 52nd minute to make it 1-0 to Celtic. Photo Vagelis Georgariou

“Just take the win and get three points and leave them behind us,” Mika Baur

“You will not win it with beautiful football and nice plays. Maybe you will score through it, but you will win the game on Sunday with mentality and energy.

“That was not us on Sunday [against Rangers]. So it’s more about fighting back to ourselves, fighting back to the winning streak. Just take the win and get three points and leave them behind us.”

Despite suffering back to back defeats, Celtic could open up an eight point gap at the Premiership summit, and Baur is looking for a reaction on Sunday.

“We should react on Sunday, for sure,” he said. “I think now we lost two or three of the big matches this season. I don’t know if it’s an issue of that.

9th September 2026; McDiarmid Park, Scottish Premiership St Johnstone versus Celtic; Mika Baur of Celtic celebrates with Kasper Hogh of Celtic after he shoots and scores in the 52nd minute to make it 1-0 to Celtic. Photo Vagelis Georgariou

“You have to be ready for these games. We should be ready in the future, and we should start on Sunday with it.”

“An unbelievable feeling, a big, big honour”

The 22 year old also described his first ever call up to the German national squad as “an unbelievable feeling, a big, big honour,” but also admitted that playing for Celtic comes with its huge demands.

“It is, for sure,” he said. “It’s a big club but I knew it when I came here. I knew what it means to play for Celtic and I just try to give my all for it.

“Sometimes it works out really, really well and sometimes not. That’s football.

9th September 2026; McDiarmid Park, Scottish Premiership St Johnstone versus Celtic; Mika Baur of Celtic celebrates after he shoots and scores in the 52nd minute to make it 1-0 to Celtic. Photo Vagelis Georgariou

“At the moment it’s a lot going on. It’s also on individual parts. Just move to another country, learn new culture. I’ve never played in a club with a size like that.

“For sure, it’s everything new, this Germany call-up but I really try to focus on short steps. Now the next step is on Sunday.”

Celtic’s midfield dilemma

Baur is likely to start tomorrow but who plays alongside him in the Celtic midfield remains to be seem. Callum McGregor had one of his poorest games for Celtic on Thursday night and Martin O’Neill may well look to Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain to come in after being rested for the past few weeks.

9th September 2026; McDiarmid Park, Perth, Scottish Premiership, St Johnstone versus Celtic; Mika Baur of Celtic celebrates after he shoots and scores in the 52nd minute to make it 1-0 to Celtic. Photo Vagelis Georgariou

Benjamin Nygren has yet to produce against the Rangers and new signing Oliver Sorensen appears to be way short of being a first team starter at the moment, yet seemingly is our best option to add ‘legs’ to the middle of the park.

Luke McCowan re-emerged on Thursday night from the bench but is unlikely to play from the start while we have seen absolutely nothing of Joel van den Berg.

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