Four weeks after playing for Norway in a European Championship qualifier away to the Faroe Isles Kris Ajer has turned his attention to Sarajevo and the Champions League.
In-between times the young defender has been involved in pre-season matches in Switzerland and Austria with football now a 12 month season.
The emergence of Ajer, Scott Bain and Ryan Christie played a big part in Celtic’s success last season but none of that trio have featured in the group phase of the Champions League.
Celtic travel to Bosnia on Monday looking to navigate their way through four qualifying rounds with everyone at the club well aware of the significance of progressing through to the Disco Lights and attention that comes with clashes against Barcelona, Bayern Munich and Paris Saint Germain.
“The qualifiers are high-pressure games,” Ajer told the Daily Record. “It’s a big, big aim for the club to reach the group stages. When you have to play eight games before that is tough but that’s our job and we have to cope with that. There will be tough moments along the way. We’re playing teams who have the same targets as us.
“We’ll play some really strong teams who have won the league in their countries. We were disappointed last year to lose to AEK Athens. We always want to go through so this year it’s definitely one of our mains targets.
“If you get through, you are playing against the best teams in the world and for young and experienced players that’s a great experience, especially at Celtic Park. You don’t get a more unbelievable atmosphere than those nights. It’s simply fantastic.”
Last season Ajer played alongside Filip Benkovic, Dedryck Boyata, Jozo Simunovic and Jack Hendry but is expected to line up with Christopher Jullien against Sarajevo.
