Celtic will need to be at the top of their game to prevent Duk from doing some damage for Aberdeen this afternoon.
That’s the message from Paulo Bernardo, a former teammate of the striker.
The Portuguese pair played together at Benfica. They came through the youth system and featured for their B side, playing alongside each other for a couple of years.
Duk arrived in Scotland during the summer of 2022. Jim Goodwin signed the 23-year-old with the Pittodrie club smartly investing £400,000 to secure his acquisition. He scored 18 goals in 44 appearances last term and notched six assists too.
He’s not quite hit the heights for Aberdeen in this campaign, but did score with an impressive turn and finish on Thursday night as Barry Robson’s side earned a credible Europa Conference League point against PAOK in Greece. That took his tally to three for the season; with Bernardo keen to ensure he and his current teammates are on form to halt him adding to that.
“Yes, I know him,” the 21-year-old smiled. “We played together for two or three seasons in the same team at Benfica. I know him very well, he’s a great player.
“I have spoken to him since joining Celtic. When I arrived here he sent me a comment on Instagram. He’s a nice guy.
“I saw that he scored on Thursday night but I didn’t see the goal. He’s amazing. He’s strong, he’s good with the ball and he can finish really well. We have to be alert.
“He didn’t really get a chance in Portugal so he came here and he’s changed. Last season he did very well. This season he will do well too.”
Bernardo joined Celtic on September 1 as part of transfer deadline day. He’s a Celtic player on an initial one-year loan deal, but the club does hold an option to turn it into a permanent agreement come the end of the season.
The player himself admits it’s too soon to think about his future having only made eight appearances for the club, mainly all as a substitute, but he has enjoyed his spell in Glasgow so far and has settled well into the changing room.
He said: “It’s been good, I’m enjoying it. The game on Wednesday night wasn’t so good but we have to move on.
“I think the coach likes me. It’s good for me to play in Champions League games. They’re the biggest games of our careers so I have to show the coach that he’s not wrong.
I’m still getting used to it (Scottish football). It’s a different style. “The intensity here is so high – the game never stops. I’m doing my best and I’m learning how I can improve, along with the team.
“I’ve made some good friends, they are my teammates. It’s like a family, we’re all as one.”
