Celtic midfielder Paulo Bernardo has brushed off the controversy surrounding the penalty decision in the Premier Sports Cup Final, maintaining that the Hoops fully deserved their triumph over Rangers.

The Portuguese playmaker insisted that Celtic’s dominance justified their victory, regardless of the contentious moments that marred the Ibrox side’s post-match reflections.

The controversy erupted in extra time when Celtic defender Liam Scales appeared to tug Vaclav Cerny’s jersey on the edge of the penalty box. Referee John Beaton awarded a free kick just outside the box, and VAR officials, led by Alan Muir, decided against recommending a review. The decision sparked outrage from Rangers officials and fans, who demanded clarification from the Scottish FA, claiming that a penalty should have been awarded.

Despite the subsequent admission by the SFA that the decision was incorrect, Celtic lifted the trophy after a dramatic 5-4 penalty shootout victory, ending a pulsating encounter that finished 3-3 after extra time.

For Paulo Bernardo, the debate over the penalty decision is irrelevant in the context of the overall performance.

Speaking after the match, he downplayed the controversy and emphasised Celtic’s superiority throughout the game:

“We don’t focus on that decision. We just move forward now,” he told SunSport.

“We won the trophy after a very good game and that’s all we think about. It was a difficult game last Sunday.

“Both teams played well and it was a good game for all the supporters to watch.

“But we had almost 70 per cent of the ball and we deserved to win.

“In the final moments, we had the quality to win the game, and the players did so well in the shootout.

“When it came to the big pressure moments, we delivered.”

While Rangers stew over the penalty controversy and the fallout from their defeat, Celtic players have enjoyed a few days off.