Paulo Bernardo relishes challenge of facing improved Rangers as Celtic target trophy

Paulo Bernardo believes Celtic will be facing an improved Rangers side when they meet in the Premier Sports Cup final but says his team will rise to the challenge.

The first silverware of the season will be on the line at Hampden when the Glasgow sides contest the second derby of the season, with Celtic comfortably winning 3-0 at Parkhead earlier in the season.

That followed a run of five Old Firm games last season where Celtic went unbeaten but Bernardo says their recent record doesn’t carry much weight when going up against Rangers this time. The midfielder thinks Celtic rivals go into the game as an improved side.

“We try to do our best in every game,” he said. “It’s a final against Rangers, and we were dominating these games before, but it’s another one, and I think they are better now.

“I think it will be very difficult for us but also very difficult for them. It’ll be a good football game to watch and to play but it’s our mentality, I think.

“They are in a good moment right now but so are we. We need to play our game and do our best.

“Other results are in the past and we can only focus on the present and this game. The past is past and we can learn from it to repeat what we did well and change what was not so good.”

Looking back, it holds plenty of pleasure for Bernardo, who played a pivotal part in Celtic’s last trophy success. In the Scottish Cup final in May, his 90th-minute strike was parried by Rangers goalkeeper Jack Butland into the path of Adam Idah, who scored the only goal of the game.

The Portuguese midfielder had another golden derby moment when he scored in the New Year Old Firm game, a goal he described as the most important of his career.

Reflecting on the Scottish Cup final, he said: “It was just really good to win so it was a good memory. Last season I won the first two titles in my career so to end last season with the trophy after all the hard work that we did was very good.

“It’s a final, and I think everyone wants to play in the finals and enjoy the moment. I did last time and we won. It was very good for us and we want to do the same again.”