Alberto Bernardo

Alberto Bernardo
	Bernardo with Real Madrid
Personal information
Full name	Alberto Bernardo Murcia
Date of birth	14 September 1960 (age 64)
Place of birth	Liège, Belgium
Height	1.75 m (5 ft 9 in)
Position(s)	Midfielder
Youth career
	FC Herstal [nl]
	Standard Liège
	Real Madrid
Senior career*
Years	Team
1979–1986	Real Madrid
1979–1980	→ San Fernando Henares (loan)
1980–1981	→ Alcalá (loan)
1982–1983	Real Madrid Castilla
1984–1986	→ Sporting Gijón (loan)
1986–1987	Osasuna
1987–1988	Valladolid
1988–1989	Recreativo Huelva
1989–1991	Melilla
1991–1992	Mosconia
Total
	*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Alberto Bernardo Murcia (born 14 September 1960) is a Spanish former footballer who played as a midfielder.

He played 42 games in La Liga for Real Madrid, Sporting Gijón, Osasuna and Real Valladolid, scoring once. In the Segunda División, he recorded 61 games and 6 goals for Castilla and Recreativo Huelva. His career was affected by several long-term injuries.

Early life

Bernardo was born in Liège in Belgium, to parents from the Spanish region of Asturias. His father was a miner and tailor. His father was born in Sotrondio and his mother in Laviana, both in the comarca of Nalón.^[1]

While Bernardo was a youth player for FC Herstal [nl] and Standard Liège,^[2] the Royal Belgian Football Association sought to naturalise him as a citizen of the country so he could play for the national team. He did not pursue this, due to his aim of playing for Spain.^[1]

Having been raised in Wallonia, Bernardo learned French to a native level. He also learned English, Dutch and German in his childhood.^[1]

Career

When Bernardo was about to sign for Rangers of Scotland, Real Madrid completed a deal for the 16-year-old. He was loaned to CD San Fernando de Henares in the Tercera División and RSD Alcalá of the Segunda División, before playing for the reserve team Castilla in the Segunda División.^[1]^[2]

Bernardo made his first-team and La Liga debut on 11 April 1982, under manager Luis Molowny. Away to CD Castellón, he came on as a 60th-minute substitute for fellow debutant Isaac Jiménez Serrano [es] in a 2–1 win; due to a professionals' strike, Castilla were playing for Real Madrid and the opponents were represented by their youth team.^[3]

On 14 September 1983, Bernardo made the only European appearance of his career, a 3–2 loss away to AC Sparta Prague in the first round of the UEFA Cup.^[4] His only top-flight goal came on 2 October as a late substitute, concluding a 6–2 home win over Cádiz CF for Alfredo Di Stéfano's team;^[5] ten days later he took under two minutes to score in a 2–1 win away to CD Badajoz in the second round of the Copa del Rey.^[6]

Bernardo struggled with injuries throughout his career, missing out on an under-21 international game against the Netherlands, and was monitored for a call-up for the senior team at UEFA Euro 1984 before another setback.^[1] He moved to Sporting Gijón of his parents' native region, where he was sidelined twice for four months each before being dropped by manager Novoa.^[1]

Bernardo remained in La Liga with Osasuna and Real Valladolid. He then dropped down the divisions to play for Recreativo de Huelva, UD Melilla and CD Mosconia.^[1]

Personal life

As of 2011, Bernardo was working in packing and delivery for food production company Agromar in Gijón.^[1]

References

^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h de Dios, Fernando G. (7 October 2021). "Del Bernabéu a El Musel" [From the Bernabéu to El Musel]. El Comercio (in Spanish). Retrieved 26 November 2024.
^ ^a ^b Guasch, Tomás (29 August 1983). "Bernardo, otro ilustre oriundo" [Bernardo, another illustrious diaspora player]. Mundo Deportivo (in Spanish). Retrieved 27 November 2024.
^ Cabrera, A. (12 April 1982). "1-2: Ni ante un Segunda tiene suerte el Castellón" [1-2: Not even against a team from the Segunda División does Castellón have any luck]. Mundo Deportivo (in Spanish). Retrieved 26 November 2024.
^ "Sacaron fuerzas de flaqueza" [They drew strength from weakness]. Mundo Deportivo (in Spanish). 15 September 1983. Retrieved 26 November 2024.
^ Alcaide, J. (3 October 1983). "Ni Di Stéfano se lo creyó" [Not even Di Stéfano could believe it]. Mundo Deportivo (in Spanish). Retrieved 26 November 2024.
^ "1-2: El Real Madrid, en su línea" [1-2: Real Madrid, in their line]. Mundo Deportivo (in Spanish). EFE. 13 October 1983. Retrieved 26 November 2024.

External links

Alberto Bernardo at BDFutbol

[comercio-1] ^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h de Dios, Fernando G. (7 October 2021). "Del Bernabéu a El Musel" [From the Bernabéu to El Musel]. El Comercio (in Spanish). Retrieved 26 November 2024.

[otro-2] Guasch, Tomás (29 August 1983). "Bernardo, otro ilustre oriundo" [Bernardo, another illustrious diaspora player]. Mundo Deportivo (in Spanish). Retrieved 27 November 2024.

[3] Cabrera, A. (12 April 1982). "1-2: Ni ante un Segunda tiene suerte el Castellón" [1-2: Not even against a team from the Segunda División does Castellón have any luck]. Mundo Deportivo (in Spanish). Retrieved 26 November 2024.

[4] "Sacaron fuerzas de flaqueza" [They drew strength from weakness]. Mundo Deportivo (in Spanish). 15 September 1983. Retrieved 26 November 2024.

[5] Alcaide, J. (3 October 1983). "Ni Di Stéfano se lo creyó" [Not even Di Stéfano could believe it]. Mundo Deportivo (in Spanish). Retrieved 26 November 2024.

[6] "1-2: El Real Madrid, en su línea" [1-2: Real Madrid, in their line]. Mundo Deportivo (in Spanish). EFE. 13 October 1983. Retrieved 26 November 2024.

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