Celtic sweat over Mika Baur fitness ahead of Ibrox cup showdown

The German midfielder was a notable absentee from Martin O’Neill’s session just two days before the Hoops make the trip to Ibrox for the first Glasgow derby of the season.

According to the Scottish Sun, Baur did not train with his Celtic teammates, although the reason for his absence remains unclear.

It comes after the 22-year-old scored the decisive goal in Wednesday night’s 1-0 Premiership victory over St Johnstone at McDiarmid Park.

Baur arrived from Paderborn during the summer and has quickly established himself as an important option for O’Neill, putting himself firmly in contention to start Sunday’s quarter-final.

His absence on Friday will therefore be a concern ahead of Celtic’s final preparations for the derby, with no indication yet whether he is carrying an injury or missed the session for another reason.

O’Neill is due to speak to the media on Friday afternoon and could provide clarity on Baur’s availability for the trip to Ibrox.