Celtic dismiss Rangers penalty furore as cup hero points to key stat and insists: 'we deserved to win'

Celtic are refusing to allow the furore surrounding Rangers' penalty complaints to detract from the glory of their Premier Sports Cup final win on Sunday.

While much of the focus on the blue side of Glasgow has been on the failure of VAR to intervene when referee John Beaton awarded a free-kick for a Liam Scales shirt pull on Vaclav Cerny which video replays showed took place on the 18-yard line, the green half of the city are busy celebrating another success that edges them one ahead of Rangers in the all-time honours list, the score now standing at 119-118 in Celtic's favour.

A group of Celtic players were spotted partying at the PDC World Darts Championships at Alexandra Palace on Monday where a hand-written 119 sign was held aloft in a cheeky dig aimed at their Ibrox rivals. Paulo Bernardo wasn't among them - "I just preferred to stay home and rest!" - but he insisted he and his teammates have not paid any attention to the VAR fall-out after edging a six-goal Hampden thriller in a penalty shoot-out.

Celtic's Paulo Bernardo with the Premier Sports Cup trophy after the victory over Rangers at Hampden. (Photo by Craig Williamson / SNS Group) | SNS Group

The Portuguese midfielder, who started the final before making way for Arne Engels in the second half, said: "We don't focus on that decision. We just move forward now. We won the trophy after a very good game and that's all we think about.

“It was a difficult game on Sunday. Both teams played well and it was a good game for supporters to watch. But we had almost 70 per cent of the ball and I think we deserved to win the cup. In the final moments, we had the quality to win the game and the players did so well in the shootout. When it came to the big pressure moments, we delivered. Our objective was to win the trophy and we managed to do that."

While James Forrest became Celtic's joint most decorated player in history alongside Bobby Lennox on 25 medals, with Callum McGregor equalling Billy McNeilv just two behind, the victory provided Bernardo with his third winners' memento in his second season at the club - and his first as a permanent signing after spending last season on loan from Benfica.

Celtic's Paulo Bernardo with the Premier Sports Cup trophy during a Celtic FC Foundation Schools Party at Celtic Park with local Primary 5 pupils from four East End schools - Dalmarnock, Riverbank, Sacred Heart and St Timothy. (Photo by Craig Williamson / SNS Group) | SNS Group

"It was a great day and personally, I am very happy to win another trophy with this great club," he beamed. "It was a really good moment for us and the celebrations were great after it. We came back to the stadium to see the fans and we had a nice time with the squad too."

Bernardo, who joined over 200 children from local schools at a Celtic Foundation Christmas event at Celtic Park on Tuesday, also spoke of how much he is enjoying the pressure and demands of playing for the club.

"We are winning so it's natural to he happy. We are playing well and winning trophies, and that is all that matters for Celtic. Personally, I feel settled and happy. I am at a club that demands success but I am happy with that. I don't really view it as pressure because I grew up as a Benfica player and you have to win every game there too. I joined them when I was six so this is all I have ever known in my career. I am used to the pressure and expectations and I know that I have to be prepared to win every game."