Bernardo fully deserving of a start, Brendan to decide who Paulo replaces

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The Celtic Star

·28 de noviembre de 2024

Bernardo fully deserving of a start, Brendan to decide who Paulo replaces

Paulo Bernardo fully deserving of a start. My question is, who does he replace? We’ll have to wait until the game at Pittodrie to find out…

Kasper Schmeichel speaks to his teammates during the UEFA Champions League match between Celtic FC and Club Brugge KV at Celtic Park on November 27, 2024. (Photo by Ian MacNicol/Getty Images)

Paulo Bernardo appeared as a substitute last night, and for me contributed more than any other midfielder in green and white hoops had done all night. That’s not a slight on our midfield far from it, as they just like most of the side simply had an off night.

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Paulo has had to bide his time for regular game time since his permanent move from Benfica over the summer, but for me and I reckon the majority of the supporters he’s done more than enough to warrant a regular starting place.

It’s definitely not going to be Callum McGregor that makes way for Bernardo, so that leaves either one of Arne Engels or Reo Hatate who will have to make way for the Portuguese under 21 skipper. That’s a tough call for the manager, but one that he gets paid big bucks to make. Does he drop out record signing? Or drop one of our most creative players?

Paulo Bernardo and Cameron Carter-Vickers at the end of the UEFA Champions League match between Celtic FC and Club Brugge KV at Celtic Park on November 27, 2024.(Photo by Ian MacNicol/Getty Images)

Arne Engels has struggled since his record breaking move, and maybe he just needs time to adjust. He does do things off the ball that go rather unnoticed by some, but he still hasn’t fully justified his massive price tag, although I’m confident that will come.

Reo has been a bit of a hit and miss this season, and his consistency is clearly his biggest problem, but he does give us an extra dimension in the middle of the park that no other player in that position gives us.

It’s a difficult call, but one that surely needs to be made by Brendan Rodgers. The game against Ross County at the weekend is a dangerous one for Celtic. Tired legs can be addressed by squad rotation but remember that was tried in the League Cup game against Falkirk and it needed first team starters to come on and turn it around.

Brendan Rodgers waves to the fans at the end of the UEFA Champions League match between Celtic FC and Club Brugge KV at Celtic Park on November 27, 2024.(Photo by Ian MacNicol/Getty Images)

That said the likes of Scales, Idah, Valle, Yang, McCowan, Bernardo, Forrest and Ralston could be worth a place in the starting XI, although Brendan is unlikely to make so many changes. It will probably by at Pittodrie next Wednesday night before we see what Brendan is thinking about his midfield three and must will expect that to be Callum McGregor, Paulo Bernardo and one other.

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