After goal and row, Bernard apologises to Atletico fans: “Not like me” | OneFootball

Atlético’s 2-1 victory over Juventud (URU) on Thursday night (16) at Arena MRV, in the second round of the Copa Sudamericana, featured one of its main protagonists at the center of controversy. Bernard, who scored the team’s first goal, left the field to boos and had to explain himself after the final whistle.

The attacking midfielder opened the scoring in the 42nd minute of the first half after an assist from Cuello. However, even before the goal, he had already been the target of criticism from the fans because of his performance on the pitch. During the celebration, Bernard put his hands to his ears, a gesture interpreted as a direct response to the boos — which further inflamed the atmosphere in the stadium.

Substituted in the second half, the player was booed again as he left the pitch. In the mixed zone, Bernard acknowledged his mistake and was quick to apologize.

“Regarding the boos I was receiving, it was completely because of the game plan. At times I had my back to the opposing goal and couldn’t force the play. I needed to keep the ball so that we could find a better move,” he said.

The player added:

The Atlético No. 10 stressed that his response should come on the pitch, through performances and numbers, not with gestures aimed at the fans: “I’m here to help, whether with goals, assists, or by doing my best. I know I didn’t react well, and that can’t happen,” he added.

Apology and identification with the club

A product of Atlético’s youth academy, Bernard made a point of highlighting his connection with the club while publicly apologizing to the fans.

“I already apologized and I’m apologizing again to anyone who felt offended. I’m a guy from here, a youth academy guy, who respects this shirt a lot. I get nervous when I’m not doing well, when I make mistakes, but I keep working. I apologize, I know I didn’t react well, but it’s something I can’t erase. But as I said, it’s not like me to do that and it won’t happen again,” he assured.

Quiet numbers on the pitch

Despite scoring, Bernard’s performance in the match was far from a positive highlight. In about 60 minutes on the pitch, the midfielder had limited offensive involvement.

The player attempted just one cross, unsuccessfully, and finished with a 79% pass completion rate — 15 completed out of 19 attempts. The most worrying stat, however, was the number of times he lost possession: eight during the match.

Even with a below-par performance and the controversy with the fans, Bernard was decisive in opening the way for Atlético’s win, which also featured Cassierra’s late winner in the 44th minute of the second half.

Upcoming challenges

With the result, Atlético earned their first three points in the Copa Sudamericana. Their next match will be on Sunday (19), away against Coritiba, in the Brazilian Championship.

In the continental competition, Galo return to action on the 29th, when they face Cienciano in Peru in the third round of the group stage.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇧🇷 here.