Former Serie A star tells Luis Palma how to navigate ‘delicate’ Celtic moment after pre-Atalanta chat

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Celtic star Luis Palma will be hoping to kick on at Parkhead after featuring off the bench against Atalanta in the Champions League during midweek.

The Honduras international turned in ten goals and as many assists last term, but has been a peripheral figure this season under Brendan Rodgers.

Featuring in just 122 minutes of competitive action this term for Celtic, winger Luis Palma has kept his head down as he looks to force his way back in from the sidelines.

Over the international break, Palma scored a hat-trick against Sligo Rovers and got the call over other wide options to help see out the Bhoys’ resilient Champions League result against Atalanta, so the tide may slowly be starting to turn for him.

Now, intriguing details have emerged of a chat he had pre-match with one of his fellow countrymen who has told him how to win his place back in the size.

Celtic star Luis Palma meets David Suazo

Ahead of Celtic’s draw against Atalanta, Palma shared a chat with former Inter Milan striker David Suazo, who has since relayed his conversation with the Honduras international and expressed sympathy for his situation.

He explained live on Telivicentro: “Actually the talk with Luis was more about pleasure, advice, because they are situations that some players would like to receive, he comes from Scotland to Italy, a country where I live, I am close, it happened that we were able to talk to him, these are the things that help you when you are abroad, that someone you know comes to visit you in times of difficulty.

“Talking to him, I told him, don’t worry, we all go through these difficulties, I even told him an anecdote of mine at Cagliari where I went four months without scoring a goal and it’s the most difficult things in football that help you to grow.

“Thank God he had minutes because the delicate moment he is living with Celtic, these minutes add up, they make you see that he is improving and I felt happy and committed, and those are the things, the visits of a friend, of a compatriot helps you

“Since we had experiences in Europe and things are slightly different and [we] share those secrets that we have, and I heard Emilio talking in the media and I think Palma listened to them and they helped him to get back on track.”

Luis Palma will want to prove doubters wrong at Celtic

The man in question’s attitude in trying circumstances has been admirable, and he will be given another chance to stake a claim in this Celtic side with fixtures coming thick and fast.

Simon Donnelly was surprised Palma came off the bench against Atalanta, but it has to be taken as a mark of his progress that he has won some favour back under Rodgers.

Now, the mission for the Honduras international is to put up numbers when his chance comes, which won’t be easy amid the form of Daizen Maeda and Nicolas Kuhn.

However, if the last few years as a Celtic fan has told you anything, don’t write off player that are on the periphery.