Amazing, unreal – Celtic’s Nicolas Kuhn reflects on Champions League experience

Celtic winger Nicolas Kuhn revealed his friends had tears in their eyes as he realised his long-held Champions League ambition in the “craziest” experience of his life.

The 24-year-old provided an assist for Kyogo Furuhashi as Celtic thrashed Slovan Bratislava 5-1 in their opening game of the new league format.

The atmosphere and the game both surpassed his expectations.

Kuhn said: “Unbelievable. It was the craziest thing I ever experienced. It was amazing. It was a long journey and finally arriving in the Champions League at such a stadium was unreal.

“It was more than I expected. After the anthem it was so loud it was amazing. Everyone said they are special nights and I was really looking forward to it and now I can say I have played in a game here.

“A lot of friends were here and my girlfriend. (They thought it was) amazing. I think they were crying.”

Kuhn had twice played in qualifiers with Rapid Vienna but never reached the group stage.

The former Germany youth international came through the ranks of several teams who are accustomed to playing in the Champions League – RB Leipzig, Ajax and Bayern Munich – without making the first teams.

But it was when he was sent on loan to Erzgebirge Aue in the second tier of German football that he vowed to play in Europe’s elite competition.

“The goal was always to play in the Champions League,” he said. “When I was on a year loan from Bayern, I said in the second league in Germany, the goal is Champions League and one day hopefully national team.

“I was 20-21, that was my goal and I didn’t care what other people said. It’s what I believe I can achieve and that was my feeling.”

Kuhn will be going back to Germany for his second Champions League game when Celtic play Borussia Dortmund on October 2.

“It was a really, really good game, so we just want to keep it going and take it into the next game,” he said.

“It’s just the first game. Of course it was an important start for us but now we focus on the next game and every game that’s coming, we are going to give 100 per cent.”

Celtic’s attention switches to the Premier Sports Cup on Sunday, where they take on William Hill Championship leaders Falkirk, who have gone 43 league games unbeaten.

“You have to show respect for every opponent but we are going to focus on our game,” Kuhn said.