On-loan Celtic midfielder Paulo Bernardo has made a striking admission about his time in Scotland.
The Portuguese player, who left Celtic this summer to join Polish side Gornik Zabrze, said there were matches when the champions felt they had already done enough to win before they even kicked off.
Speaking to Przeglad Sportowy, Bernardo said: "In Scotland, when I played for Celtic, we sometimes knew we'd win a match before we'd even stepped onto the pitch."
He added: "In Scotland, we'd sometimes score goals out of nowhere and just win."
Bernardo's decision to leave Celtic was driven by a lack of game time last season, which convinced him to seek regular first-team football elsewhere. He said: "For me, playing football is the most important thing.
Read more
-
Scott Brown on which Celtic keeper should start derby - and picks his front three
-
Celtic confirm Tennent’s Sixes manager ahead of next month's tournament
-
How Martin O'Neill 'reacted' to Celtic missing out on Gvidas Gineitis transfer
"Last season at Celtic I didn't get many opportunities. A second year in a row without regular appearances was out of the question.
"After talking to the manager and the board, I felt this was the best decision."
Despite his departure, Bernardo remains appreciative of his time at Celtic, where he won three league titles and several domestic honours. He said: "Celtic is very similar to Benfica.
"It's the biggest club in the country, a huge brand. It has fans all over the world. You have to win every match; it's a must. Celtic was a very good move for me because I was able to play more than I did at Benfica.
"I was given opportunities in the Champions League and the Europa League, I won three league titles and I also won cups. I'm very grateful to Celtic.
"It's a massive club."