It was an interesting opening game of the new Premiership season for Celtic.
As always, there was more talk of what’s happening outside than what’s happening on the pitch, with Celtic beating St Mirren 1-0 and starting proceedings in the perfect manner.
But whilst a lot of the talk has been about the 2025 summer transfer window, and the frustration around it all from the fans and Brendan Rodgers.
What also made interesting reading is the Celtic bench against St Mirren, and the calls Rodgers made before and during the match.
Whilst big-money signings Auston Trusty and Arne Engels were benched, at least they came onto the pitch; that wasn’t the case for midfielder Paulo Bernardo.
Brendan Rodgers questioned over Paulo Bernardo
After a positive loan spell in Glasgow, Celtic signed Bernardo permanently last summer for a fee in the region of £3.5 million from Benfica.
But you question where the 23-year-old is at because, with new signing Benjamin Nygren now playing as a number eight, it has pushed Bernardo further back to the point where he wasn’t even introduced into the action at the weekend.
This was questioned by Paul Slane on Open Goal because he thinks, in the overall picture, ‘he never seems to get a sniff.’
“He (McCowan) is somebody to be unlucky not to be starting, isn’t he?!” stated Slane after McCowan netted the winner against St Mirren.
“What’s going on with Bernardo, by the way? He never seems to get a sniff. You two (Si Ferry and Andy Halliday) are big on him.
Si Ferry then added: “He never got on, did he?”
Slane also stated: “The boy Nygren has come in and he has been brilliant in pre-season. I think the fans, and everybody who watched, saying that ‘he looked better,’ so on that, you have to start him ahead of (Engels).”
Bernardo’s game time at Celtic last season
There are two certain starters for Celtic in the middle of the park. The captain, Callum McGregor, and the ever-popular Reo Hatate.
After that, and ever since Matt O’Riley left to join Brighton last summer, that final midfield spot has been up for grabs, but nobody seems to be taking it.
Bernardo would argue that, aside from his injury last season, he hasn’t been handed the regular starts that he wants and has watched Engels push ahead of him, as well as the new kid on the block, Nygren.
- Bernardo’s games in 2024/25: 44
- Starts: 19
- Minutes: 1,878
- Goals: 3
- Assists: 4
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