Brazil's Bernard Risks Wasting Talent in Shakhtar No Show

Bernard’s honeymoon period at Shakhtar Donetsk is most certainly over. As the Ukranian Championship takes a hiatus, the country’s dominant outfit and their plethora of Brazilian talent are taking in a tour of Brazil, which has seen games played against the likes of Bahia, Flamengo, Cruzeiro and Internacional.

Last Thursday, it was the turn of Atletico Mineiro, fresh from the loss of talisman Diego Tardelli. How would they cope without the free moving Brazil international, with the more immobile Argentine Lucas Pratto leading the line?

The match at the Estadio Independencia turned into a blitz. Pratto himself started the rout, before goals from Carlos, Leonardo Silva and Dodo gave the Brazilians a 4-0 lead, eventually cut down to 4-2.

But this was supposed to be a special night for someone among the Shakhtar contingent. The 22-year-old Bernard had been the darling of the Belo Horizonte club, the potent offensive weapon neatly nestled among the heavyweights Jo, Ronaldinho Gaucho and Diego Tardelli.

His speed, pace and form for scoring blinding goals quickly elevated him to that favourite of sporting platforms, The Next Big Thing To Come Out Of Brazil.

Portuguese giants FC Porto were also reportedly in for his signature after his success in the Copa Libertadores with the Minas outfit back in 2013, per O Jogo (h/t the Express). Perhaps, with the benefit of hindsight, Porto would have been a better fit for the youngster taking his first steps in the continent.

Last week, giving an interview to Brazilian newspaper Zero Hora h/t Globo Esporte (link in Portuguese), Shakhtar boss Mircea Lucescu launched a scathing attack on the slight Brazilian, including a blunt accusation of the player simply pitching up for financial reasons, as well as effectively calling him a cry baby. Among his complaints was that a player was not willing to suffer yet more than happy to pick up a pay packet of 300,000 euros per month, enough to make him the most well-paid Brazilian at the club, as reported by UOL Esporte (link in Portuguese). 

Bernard has quickly gone from the jewel in the crown to the jester in the courtyard. But is his attitude, more laissez-faire than his coach would clearly like, indicative of the typical Brazilian in Europe, and quite possibly of Brazil’s steady slide down the international ladder over the last decade?

Bernard has done little to hide his dissatisfaction with life in Ukraine, as proven by his petulant actions, but his apparent happiness to sit back and watch his personal coffers fill up is worrying form for a player of just 22 years of age, who is nowhere near the finished article. The attacking midfielder was famously selected by Brazil coach Luiz Felipe Scolari for the World Cup semi-final against Germany, with disastrous consequences, and his international future has yet to be secured under new boss Dunga.

Bruno Magalhaes/Associated Press

Indeed, the unproven youngster need not look too far for an example of a Brazilian making it in such trying circumstances. Lucescu singled out Bernard’s teammates, Fred and Alex Teixeira, for special praise, explaining that, even in a friendly in which the side were 4-0 down, the pair wanted to stay on the field and keep battling, as reported by Terra Esporte (link in Portuguese).

The insinuation being Bernard is far too quick to throw in the towel when things are not going according to plan. Prior to kick-off at the Independencia last week, Bernard personally greeted every member of the Atletico side. The crowd sang his name, despite an anonymous showing within the white lines.

What Lucescu’s comments have done is stoke the fire. It would now seem there is no, or certainly a rocky, path back at Shakhtar for the former prodigy, and perhaps a loan move back to Atletico, where Bernard remains loved, would be beneficial to his long-term career.

His current stand-off with the club is already costing him dear, and one of the latest to fall off the production line risks falling into obscurity if his behaviour, and performances, do not change for the better.