Paulo Bernardo has explained why he decided to leave Celtic this summer, admitting another season without regular football was not an option.
Bernardo had already spent three seasons with Celtic and felt the time had come to make a move which would give him a better chance of playing every week.
Speaking to Przeglad Sportowy, he said: “For me, playing football is the most important thing.
“Last season at Celtic I didn’t get many opportunities. A second year in a row without regular appearances was out of the question.
“After talking to the manager and the board, I felt this was the best decision.”
That explains why Bernardo was willing to leave despite speaking positively about his time at the club.
He made clear that the move was about minutes rather than any unhappiness with Celtic itself.
Bernardo said: “Celtic was a very good move for me because I was able to play more than I did at Benfica.
“I was given opportunities in the Champions League and the Europa League, I won three league titles and I also won cups. I’m very grateful to Celtic.
“It’s a massive club.”
The 24-year-old now has the chance to build up the run of games he felt he needed.
His Celtic spell brought silverware and European experience, but his comments show that remaining on the fringes for another campaign was not something he was prepared to accept.
After discussions with Martin O’Neill and the club, all sides agreed that moving elsewhere was the right next step.
Bernardo has left the door open to looking back fondly on Celtic, but his priority now is straightforward — getting back to playing regularly.
Keep Reading
