Celtic midfielder Paulo Bernardo came to the fore for the Hoops around the festive period and the turn of the year. Indeed, the Portuguese under-21 internationalist had many calling for him to be signed permanently.
Two goals and two assists in the Hoops’ final three games before the break make for impressive reading for the 21-year-old who will look to kick on from where he left off when the action recommences.
Things haven’t always been rosy in the garden for Bernardo, however. When he initially came to Glasgow, he found it hard to gain consistency. He rarely stood out the way he has recently and few would have been disappointed to see him head back to Benfica this month.
In football, though, things can change rapidly and for the central midfielder, they did. Now, he has received praise from a man who was a mainstay in the middle of the park when at Celtic, Peter Grant.
The now 58-year-old, who made over 350 appearances in green and white, noticed Bernardo’s clever understanding straight away: “The first time playing alongside Callum McGregor and Matt O’Riley, they interchanged positions and he understood that”, he said (RecordSport).
“People think that is easy, but it’s not and there seemed a good balance and who would be where. For a young man, I saw a good understanding.
“He knows how to tackle and, as I mentioned, it’s more interceptions nowadays and he doesn’t put himself into a position where opponents can just walk past him as he moves his body well.
“So, no, I think his all-round game has been very good. I didn’t ever think he struggled even at the start as he was doing certain things in games.”
