Paulo Bernardo

PAULO BERNARDO was beaming after his ‘best day as a Celtic player so far’ as he helped his side to a crucial victory over Rangers.

The Portuguese midfielder hit a stunning opening goal for Celtic on the day for his second goal in two matches, and he was otherwise outstanding in the midfield engine room alongside Callum McGregor and Matt O’Riley.

But the level-headed 21-year-old was keeping his feet on the ground, urging his teammates to immediately switch their focus to the game against St Mirren on Tuesday night.

“It was really good for my first game against Rangers,” Bernardo said.

“It was a really nice game to play in, the atmosphere was really good and I enjoyed it a lot. It’s probably my best day as a Celtic player so far!

“It was a great win for us and I was very happy to help the team with my goal. When the ball came to me I just remember shooting and the ball going into the net.

“I always believe I can score a goal and my mindset is always to help the team. I aim to do that with a goal and just with my performance.

“When I scored, the crowd went crazy and it was nice.

“I had two friends at the game, along with my girlfriend, and I think there will be people back home really happy for me because I scored. It was a really big day for my, my friends and family.

“But now the game is over and now we need to focus on the next game against St Mirren.


It was a massive win for us. But we know that it doesn’t serve anything for us if we don’t win the next game.

“This win was really good, sure. But we have to stay focused for the next one.”

Despite his calm exterior after the game, Bernardo admits it was a nerve-shredding experience watching the closing stages of the match after he had been substituted off and Rangers had pulled a goal back.

“It is always tough when you go off and are not on the pitch,” he said.

“I am calm on the pitch because I can control some things.

“But off the pitch players don’t control anything.”

He is hoping his display against Rangers will result in much more time on the pitch for Celtic in the near future, as he looks to start his fourth game on the bounce at St Mirren after being in and out of the side since his arrival in the summer.

“All football players learn faster when we get game time,” he said.

“Therefore I think it’s nice for me to get more minutes.

“It was good for me but I am still a young player so I need to be patient and wait my moment.

“The coach makes his choices when it comes to who he plays in the team.

“For me, I can just work hard in the training sessions and keep going to make sure I give him the choice to pick me.”

Among the thousands of congratulatory messages Bernardo will no doubt receive over the next few days may be one from a former Portuguese hero around these parts.

“Will Jota message me?”, he said.

“I don’t know, we have talked before, but he is playing in another league in another country and he will be focused on that.”

 

Was good today. Still has a long way to go to convince he’s worth the reported £5 million price tag.

 

He's a grower.

Hoping for more big performances.

 

I want to keep him.

I want him to be ours.

 

Great performance. If he can play at that level in a Glasgow derby at 21 years old and do fairly well in CL match a for us, £6mil seems like good business. He's got plenty of scope to improve.

 

Aye 5 or 6 million doesn’t go a long way these days. He’s worth spending that

 

If he keeps up what he’s doing, no brainer.

 

I really dont know what to make of him, he is neat and tidy in possession, not afraid to get a shot off, seems to read the game well, makes himself available and does not hide. So there are lots of positives. Would like to see a killer pass now and then and more aggression in the tackle. Maybe expecting too much from a 21 year old perhaps??? He is here till the end of the season, is he??

 

Growing on me......still not sure
But loved him today/yesterday.

 

Is that also the first time he’s had 2 games in a row? A run of games week in, week out is when you get a proper look at a player. He’s been in and out for CL games, patched domestically largely and has took his chance now, when he’s been in as a very last option after Iwata, Turnbull, Holm moving Calmac up one, then eventually the guy he was trusting to do what he needs in the CL.


I can’t follow BR’s thought process with a lot of things this season, this is another one to add onto the list for me now heMs starting to show what he can do.


He reminds me of Joe Ledley, that’s high praise from me that

 

I see Ledley similarities in him too...

He has a good physique, has energy, he gets stuck in, can play a pass, isn't afraid to shoot and can score against the Huns.

That's worth 5m all day long in my book

 

And it still looks like he’s playing within himself a bit… think theres more to come from him on the ball, off the ball he impresses * out me but. Constantly pressuring and constantly looking to see where he needs to cover somebody making a run.

I think we’ve had a problem with players making a run rather than static staying in their position constantly instead, when he’s played lately I think those around him feel freer to do it, because he just seamlessly covers. That’s the Ledley bit for me that, he was a master at that

 

Agree mate. He is everywhere and always seems to be available to receive a pass as well.

For someone so young i'm also really impressed by his composure and his desire to fight for every ball.

Great prospect and from his performances in Europe and against the Huns and as long as he can be consistent and keep developing it seems a no brainer.

 

Benfica academy that, similar to La Masia even the worst * that come out of them have a great read of the game.

We should figure out how the * they do that

 

Maybe Rodgers thinks he's more suited to tough games where we need more solidity in midfield. But for most SPL games he prefers more creativity/goal threat.

 

We should just keep tapping that market.

There's teams around the world where players just don't make it yet turn out to be decent.

Any big club from the top ten leagues in Europe always allow top talents to walk for free or for modest fees. Half the Dutch league is made from PSV, Ajax and Feyenoord rejects. The AZ and Twente teams are full of them.

There's talent, we're just lazy at scouting them.

 

I'm still not absolutely convinced we should spend the £5m/£6m fee on him right now.

I think he's played well the last 2 games and he's grabbed a couple of big goals for us but he still needs to show a wee but more for me in the rest of the games before we part with that kind of money.

The good thing for him and us is we have another 5/6 months to assess him and see where we go from here. Hatate will likely take a few weeks to get back up to match sharpness so it's his position for the next game and his to lose during the winter break.

 

There are also some unreal talents down south from the big clubs that just get ignored. The amount of times Dortmund have taken a player from the youth ranks of English Football and turned them into absolute machines, it's happening all the time these days.

The boy we were linked with from the Man City youths that went to Ajax was it? Carlos Borges? Wonder how he's doing over there. He had some stats in the youth league but I know Ajax haven't had the best of starts.

 

Yeah, I think England's a top ten league.