The Paraguay captain has fallen out of favour in recent weeks, following the arrival of Matt Kilgallon from Sheffield United.
Bruce told the Sunderland Echo: “Paulo hasn’t been starting games over the last couple of weeks but he has been coming on as a substitute and he’s still a very important player for us.
“I think he’s got a big role to play at Sunderland.”
Bruce added: “He’s still adapting to the English game as well as the climate, the country and the culture and we’ve got to do it right.
“I know I’ve banged on quite a bit this season about the South Americans taking their time to hit their stride when they come over to the Premier League, but that has always been my experience.
“When I was at Wigan and when you look at other clubs too, it tends to take them at least six months to settle and then you see them blossom.
“Paulo’s had a lot on his plate and I’m very pleased with him but we’ve got to do it right to make sure we get the best out of him. He’s still got a lot of football to play before this season’s over.”
