Bernard not afraid of Everton mission after Ukraine pain

GIVEN that Ukraine’s violent civil war was raging while he was at his last club Shakhtar Donetsk, it is no surprise that Everton’s 5ft 4in Brazilian Bernard isn’t intimidated by the Premier League.

‘I’ve always faced prejudice for my height and physique, but it’s not something that has ever worried me,’ says the newest, and smallest, crowd favourite at Goodison Park.

‘I follow my dad’s advice to overcome any physical issues. I use my other qualities to compensate. If you are quick with your feet and mind, small margins can make the difference.’

Bernard, who joined Everton in the summer on a Bosman free, has conquered the odds throughout the course of his career.

His first club Atletico Mineiro rejected him twice because of size but gave him a final chance after persuasion from a wellconnected family friend. Bernard ended up winning the Copa Libertadores – South America’s equivalent of the Champions League.

His dream chance at the 2014 World Cup, replacing the injured Neymar, turned into a nightmare when he played in Brazil’s 7-1 defeat against Germany in his home city of Belo Horizonte.

And a £21million move to Shakhtar Donetsk in 2013 presented unforeseen problems when Ukraine descended into bloody conflict which claimed more than 10,000 lives.

‘It was hard for me because I was still very young,’ said Bernard. ‘The war broke out in my first year and then, while I was in Brazil just after the World Cup, the plane was shot down in Donetsk where I had been living with my parents.

‘The club had to move city. We lost our infrastructure including the training base, and we had to fly to every game from the capital. It was a hard situation, but a big learning experience.

‘There was no doubt it was scary. There were blockades to enter and exit the cities. Cars were searched for bombs and weapons. Many players lost their houses and flats (in Donetsk). A lot of people wanted to flee the city. Many did not have the money to leave. A lot of people died.’