Brendan Rodgers has assured that Celtic midfielder Paulo Bernardo is likely to be available for Wednesday’s Champions League clash against Bayern Munich, despite picking up an ankle injury during the 5-0 Scottish Cup victory over Raith Rovers.
The Portuguese midfielder was substituted after 37 minutes, unable to recover from a first-half challenge by Jordan Doherty, with Reo Hatate coming on as his replacement
Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers clarified that Bernardo’s substitution was primarily a precautionary measure rather than a serious injury, even though the midfielder appeared in discomfort as he headed straight down the tunnel for treatment.
Speaking to Premier Sports after the match, Rodgers stated: “It was more of a precaution. He slightly rolled his ankle, but he should be fine.”
Daizen Maeda’s hat-trick was complemented by second-half goals from Luke McCowan and Yang Hyun-jun, as the defending champions cruised into the Scottish Cup quarter-finals with ease at Parkhead.
Rodgers commented: “Matches like these can be challenging if the mindset isn’t right, regardless of talent. Credit to the players for their hard work from the start, ensuring they performed at such a high level.”
“We knew progression was expected of us, but our main focus was on delivering a strong performance. Despite making nine changes, we aimed to approach the game with an attacking mindset. That required full concentration and focus, which was evident throughout the team. The goals were outstanding, and you wouldn’t have guessed we had made so many changes.”
