South American football correspondent for the BBC, Tim Vickery, has given a fascinating insight into new Celtic left back Alexandro Bernabei.
The pacey little left back has become the first Argentine to ever sign for the Scottish Champions, after being announced this morning on a 5 year contract.
Here is what Vickery has had to say on the player.
“This is the first Argentine to sign for Celtic and hopefully it will work out better than a certain high-profile Brazilian. I was in London recently and someone presented me with a photo of Rafael Scheidt, who I thought would be a good signing and it didn’t turn out that way.”
“Experience has taught me to be a little more cautious and he doesn’t have a great deal behind him, partly down to the pandemic – he had just got into the team at Lanus and then Argentine football shut down for a considerable time.”
“What does he bring to Ange Postecoglou’s team? A quick little left-back. He’s not going to defend like Danny McGrain, that’s not his game.”
“What he does give you is terrific pace, with a lovely left foot, which can be very useful for set-pieces. I think there is an eye for a goal in him as well and a player who can get in at the far post and open up the pitch.”
“What I didn’t factor in with Rafael Scheidt, who was in the Brazil team at the time, was how much higher up the field he would be expected to defend with Celtic.
He will have to adapt to extra physicality. The Argentine league is physical, but you look at the players and they are smaller than most of the players he will face in Scotland, but what I’ve seen leads me to the conclusion that he has the potential to take this step and maybe steps beyond as well.”
“The Champions League puts him in the spotlight. If Celtic weren’t there, I don’t think he would be there and perhaps there wouldn’t be the finance either.”
“I was surprised to hear that this was the first Argentine to sign for Celtic and, if he succeeds, he won’t be the last.”
Check out the video below for a shortened breakdown of what Vickery had to say on the player.
