Bernardo Silva Sets the Tone for City’s New Chapter

Bernardo Silva doesn’t say much for the sake of it. So when he talks about last season being a disappointment, you have to listen.

“Last year hurt,” the Portuguese midfielder said, bluntly. “We want to put that behind us. Today showed we’re on the right path.”

City’s convincing win over Juventus in the Club World Cup didn’t just book a round-of-16 tie with Al Hilal — it pointed to something more serious: they are sharpening up again.

“We’re starting to look like ourselves,” Silva added. “It’s one match, but it felt right. That matters across the season, not just in this competition.”

Silva captained the side in the heat and humidity of Orlando, a role he is clearly honoured to take on.

“Being captain is one of the proudest things in my career,” said Silva, now 30, and in his eighth year at the club since joining from Monaco for £43 million. “I’ve lived a lot here — highs, lows — and I want to pass that on.”

But he’s not claiming sole leadership. “We’ve got a group,” he added. “Rúben, Rodri, Erling — they all carry that weight too. It has to be shared if we’re going to win again.”

That drive to lead isn’t just in his words. It’s in the way he plays. Even with City cruising at 4–1, Silva chased down a loose ball in 32-degree heat, throwing himself in front of a pass on the halfway line. He’d barely had five days off all summer after Portugal’s Nations League triumph, but it didn’t show.

Silva’s work rate never dips. Skill is obvious, but so is the graft. There’s nothing flashy about his effort — just the kind of edge that keeps standards high.

City’s midfield looked balanced too. Rodri sat deep, often dropping between the centre-backs to collect the ball and control the tempo. Tijjani Reijnders and Silva pushed up, linking with wide players. Jérémy Doku found joy on the left, connecting well with Rayan Aït-Nouri and Savinho.

It wasn’t a statement performance. It didn’t need to be. But if you were looking for signs City are getting serious again — they were all there. And Bernardo, as ever, was in the thick of it.

Have a crack at our latest City quiz here.