As covered by us earlier today, Manchester City midfielder Bernardo Silva has given a four-page interview to Portuguese newspaper Record, with the story making it to the front page.
We’ve already published the quotes where the 24-year-old spoke about his contract with the club and the rumours about an exit to Real Madrid. Now, there are a few more interesting quotes from the chat he’s had.
First asked about Manchester City’s dream to win a Champions League, Bernardo Silva doesn’t hide the wish to get far in the competition, but doesn’t take it as an obsession either.
“I don’t really think about it, honestly. It is a competition that Manchester City have never won and so we are eager to get as far as possible. We know that the great disappointment of last season was to be eliminated in the quarter-finals of the Champions League, so we want to do better.
“But we also know that it is a competition where there are clubs like Real Madrid, Barcelona, Juventus, Bayern Munich and the English teams. It is a test in which you need to be very good, to be lucky and to be well in the right moments. But of course we want to assert ourselves at European level.”
Regarding the game against Arsenal, when Bernardo played on the wing and later in central midfield, he was asked if he has a preferred position.
“They are completely different positions and they ask for different things, both offensive and defensive. Defensively, work is more intense when playing in the middle; offensively you risk more when playing on the line, for example.
“When playing in the middle you control more of the game tempo. They are two positions that I like to do and in which, depending on the game and what the coach needs and asks me, I will always give my best. I feel good playing both.”
Asked if he could follow the steps of Cristiano Ronaldo to win a Ballon d’Or, Bernardo Silva says he’s not concerned about it: “I do not think about the Ballon d’Or and the individual prizes. First because I feel they are still quite far; then because it is not a goal.”
“Of course they are good things, but my goals are collective and I don’t say this just to say it. I want to win the Premier League more often, the Champions League… The rest comes with that.”
