Celtic fans demand ‘disappointing’ star is sold despite Scottish Cup win: ‘Move him on’
Celtic progressed into the fifth round of the Scottish Cup on Sunday with a routine 1-0 win over sixth-tier Auchinleck Talbot.
Johnny Kenny and Sebastian Tounekti both netted at The BBSP Stadium Rugby Park as Martin O’Neill’s side avoided a potential upset.
However, it was far from a convincing performance, with the Hoops only narrowly beating a side they were expected to roll over.
Many of the players in the starting XI were poor, including Paulo Bernardo, with some supporters suggesting that his time is now up at Celtic Park.
Celtic fans call for Paulo Bernardo to be sold over Auchinleck Talbot win
Bernardo has not had a good time at Celtic since he joined the Hoops permanently in 2024.
The 23-year-old midfielder has struggled for game time consistently, with the youngster usually left on the bench.
As a result, Bernardo was linked with a Celtic exit in the summer. However, this never materialised as he remained a squad player going into the 2025-26 campaign.
Against Auchinleck Talbot, O’Neill gave Bernardo the nod to start, and was given the chance show the manager exactly why he deserved more minutes.
However, his spell on the pitch was far from successful, with the midfielder missing a golden opportunity to score in the first half.
Now, with Celtic fans already furious with a host of issues at the Old Firm club, they have now seen enough of Bernardo, as they call for the 23-year-old to be sold.
ralston donovan bernardo balikwisha should never and a mean never wear that shirt again.
— SMC_2025 (@Smc___1888) January 18, 2026
Move on now if possible and bring in a proper DM
— Kev Bhoy 70 🍀🇵🇸 (@Splissken1970) January 19, 2026
He’s defo one that’s at the end of his cycle, the entire midfield could use a revamp. McCowan, Hatate, Bernardo should be moved on, McGregor will be another year on and Nygren and Engels aren’t consistent enough.
— Noah (@CelticNoah) January 19, 2026
It’s disappointing how much he has regressed after some good performances in the season he was on loan with us. One that I assume we will move on in the summer.
— Sobaan Afzal (@sobaan_afzal) January 19, 2026
He just hasn’t improved since he first signed. We defo did the right thing brining him in but unfortunately not all players can find that next level.
— Tony C (@Green_Hoops67) January 19, 2026
Playing less has hindered him… I suspect he will be off in the summer
— Andy (@AndyA_88) January 19, 2026
We don’t suit him more than he doesn’t suit us , really good tidy player but he needs to move away from us to flourish
— Dunk 🍀🏴 (@dunkoot) January 19, 2026
Can Bernardo still make an impact at Celtic?
Throughout this season, Bernardo has struggled to perform whenever he has been given a chance.
According to Fotmob on 19 January, the midfielder has had little to no impact in attack when he has played, producing just 0.42 shots, 0.84 chances created and zero goals per match in the Scottish Premiership this season.
However, Bernardo’s defensive qualities are a standout, and he wins on average 2.94 tackles and 6.31 duels every game.
| Paulo Bernardo’s Scottish Premiership stats this season | |
| Goals | 0.00 |
| Shots | 0.42 |
| Chances created | 0.84 |
| Tackles | 2.94 |
| Duels won | 6.31 |
Therefore, it is clear that the 23-year-old can add a different dimension to Celtic’s game through his defensive ability.
Yet, it remains to be seen if this is enough to keep him at Celtic Park long-term, with further changes to the squad need if the Hoops are to dominate the Scottish Premiership again.