Celtic midfielder Paulo Bernardo came to the fore for the Hoops towards the end of the first half of the season. In three games, the Benfica loanee scored twice and assisted as many as The Bhoys ended 2023 and began 2024 on a high.
Hailing from Portugal, it has taken Bernardo a while to settle into life in Glasgow. This is only natural when a player as young as the midfielder moves abroad, according to manager Brendan Rodgers.
Indeed, the 21-year-old’s current spell is his first out of his homeland, and it has been difficult for him to force a way into the team. He was handed a few starts in the Champions League but other than that, he was limited to substitute appearances before a recent upturn in form.
Bernardo has remained patient and recently began to gain some consistency, per his manager: “Paulo Bernardo, this last period, has settled in very well”, he said (Celtic TV via Football Scotland). “But that’s how long it can sometimes take for a young player coming from a different country, different culture and different expectations. It’s been great to see the likes of them coming through.”
Going into the second half of the campaign, Bernardo’s emergence undoubtedly provides Rodgers with a dilemma in the middle of the park. The gaffer will in no way be disappointed by this, though. For Rodgers, the more options he has, the more chance Celtic have of prospering.
It remains to be seen whether the Portugal under-21 internationalist will be signed permanently, but his presence in the squad is guaranteed until the campaign’s end which is an undoubted positive.
