Mika Baur sends confident Celtic message ahead of first Rangers showdown | OneFootball

Mika Baur insists Celtic can handle a hostile Ibrox without their own supporters as Martin O’Neill’s side prepare for Sunday’s Premier Sports Cup quarter-final against Rangers.

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

The German midfielder heads into the derby on a high after scoring his first Celtic goal in Wednesday night’s 1-0 victory over St Johnstone.

Baur was left with a simple finish from close range following Haissem Hassan’s clever cut-back, but it proved decisive as Celtic maintained their perfect Premiership start and moved five points clear of Rangers after six matches.

Attention now turns to Ibrox, where Celtic will have no travelling support after it was confirmed last week that SPFL meetings between the rivals this season will be played without away fans.

Baur has experienced derby football before during his time with Dynamo Dresden, but Sunday’s occasion will be something completely new.

“We have to accept it. It’s not our decision,” Baur explained via Daily Record. “It shouldn’t affect us on Sunday, but sure, if you have some fans with you to give you energy, it helps a lot, but it’s not our decision. We accept it and try to do our best.

“It’s just a way of perspective. They give you energy if they’re in the stadium, but a situation like that gives you a lot of energy. You know everyone watches it in front of the TV, so you want to do your best, you want to win.”

Celtic travel across Glasgow with renewed momentum after responding impressively to their Champions League collapse against LASK.

O’Neill’s side have won four consecutive domestic matches against Falkirk, Aberdeen, St Mirren and St Johnstone, scoring eight goals and conceding only twice.

Baur believes that run should give Celtic confidence ahead of their biggest domestic test of the campaign so far.

“I think now we have good momentum because of the last matches in the league,” Baur continued. “We can be confident for sure. That’s why it’s important that we won today, to have that confidence and to look forward to the Rangers match.

“And to go into the match really confident, that we know we have the quality and we are capable of scoring, capable of defending.

“I expect it will be special, but I think I’ve never experienced something like that. I’m just looking forward and being excited about what’s happening on Sunday.

“They’re a good team, it will be a tough game, difficult, but we will try our best to get into the next round.”

It will also be the first time Baur has played in a match where the opposition support has the stadium entirely to themselves.

“I think I’m capable of that,” he added. “I’ve never experienced something like that, especially if there are just fans that maybe hate you and don’t like you. But I think I can handle that.”

Baur also reserved praise for Celtic debutant Sam Johnstone after the goalkeeper was handed his first start following his loan arrival from Wolverhampton Wanderers.

Johnstone produced a crucial first-half double save to deny Joel Cotterill and impressed with his command of the penalty area as he marked his Hoops debut with a clean sheet.

“He was incredible,” Baur said of the debutant. “In the first half, the save he made was so important. It would be a different match if they scored in the first half and also in the second. He was incredible today. He did a great job, and we’re so happy to have him here.”

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