Final of the Champions League: “Bernardo Silva’s intelligence fits very well with Guardiola, they are very favourites”

Bernardo Silva’s display in the second leg of the semifinals of the Champions League against Real Madrid has not only made headlines in his native Portugal, but the whole world was impressed by the class and intelligence of the Manchester City player, who with his brace gave Pep Guardiola’s team victory against Madrid (4-0 ), and will take him to play a final of the most important club level tournament in the world.

At the age of 28, Bernardo Silva joined the Manchester City team in the second half of the 2017 season and had one of his best displays with the English team at the Etihad Stadium against the Madrid team.

El Comercio sought out Hélder Cristovao, who was Bernardo Silva’s coach at Benfica B for the 2013-2014 season, to analyze the high level of his former pupil that he has had in 2023. This answered us…

What do you think of the level that your former player Bernardo Silva showed against Real Madrid?

Bernardo is at a very high level. That game and conquest will put him on a more profitable path, a path close to the best players in the world.

Does the present of Bernardo Silva in the hands of Pep Guardiola make you happy?

His style of play fits very well with Pep Guardiola. Bernardo’s strength is not in the physical, but is in his mind. Intelligence, the way he moves during matches on the court, the way he faces the players and that’s why he is playing at a very high level with the physique that he has. Bernardo is fast, physically strong, he doesn’t jump much with his head, but in the end he manages to be in goal. He plays outside or inside, he is aggressive in duels, since he is a footballer who participates in the game. His intelligence allows him to participate and score goals.

How is Bernardo Silva in training?

Bernardo is a very smart player in his upbringing. He is a very high intelligence player, a player who loves to have the ball as you can tell by watching his games. He loves training, he likes to ask questions in training, he likes to be beyond training. He is very aware of what others can do and he who can contribute more with training to be a better player. Since he was always small, he had to be more than the others, since he had to foresee plays in order to be involved in the game. He has tactical intelligence which allows him to be at a very high level right now.

Have you talked in recent days with Bernardo Silva?

No, I haven’t talked to him yet, he’s going to be a father, he’s in a very sweet family moment. I am very glad that life is smiling at him.

Do you think that Manchester City with this good moment of Bernardo Silva can win the Champions League against Inter Milan?

It’s a different game, because Inter is very comfortable when playing in their area and exploits counterattacks with Dzeko, Lautaro and Lukaku, and Inter will want to have the ball for a long time. The problem is, if City cannot score a goal in the first 20 or 30 minutes, doubts will begin, since we know what Italian football is like and they are taking advantage of their players and tactical system that will seek to hurt Manchester City. But I still think that Pep Guardiola’s team is very favorite to lift the Champions League title. City have had much more patience, there is confidence in their coach, in his ideas and with Guardiola’s hand they will consolidate their game process and finally be able to be European champions. They have a group of very strong players, who have a great organizational structure for Manchester City and with the help of Guardiola they get the results they get.

Do you think that in Benfica they did not value Bernardo Silva?

At that time, Benfica had a lot of quality in its main squad and Bernardo didn’t even have the opportunity to teach his game. The doubts began in the player and then he looked for a way to leave the club and they paid 15 million for a player from team B. It’s money and that’s why he left, but Bernardo is a world talent, I never doubt that Bernardo will one day reach that level, it was just a matter of patience and for him to continue on his way.

Professor, you have been surrounded by players like Solano in Newcastle, since you played with him and saw André Carrillo in Benfica, what advice would you give to young people like Peruvians who yearn to reach the level of Bernardo Silva?

What I can say is that Bernardo Silva started playing regularly when he was 18 or 19 years old, because he was very young and it took him a long time to show his football. He had a lot of technical quality, but the other coaches didn’t believe in him and when he reached an average height in the B team, he played an important role there. I tell young people that they continue to increase their value, support themselves well in family issues, have a very good family behavior and follow their dream. You have to keep going and hope you have an opportunity. The most important advice for youngsters is that they don’t have a roof, fight for their dreams, they have to go out and look for an opportunity to play, because the quality is there and sooner or later they will find an opportunity to be seen. You never have to give up.

Are you talking to Solano?

Yes, you talked to him many times.

A pity that André Carrillo has not continued in Benfica?

He went to earn a lot of money in Saudi Arabia. He is a millionaire. Money is also important for our life. André Carrillo is a good boy and an excellent professional player. We all know the quality he possesses. I think he lacked more opportunities.

Something similar to what happened in Benfica with Bernardo Silva?

Something like that, but André Carrillo was already a player made and experienced at Sporting Lisboa.