20 | Bernardo Silva - 2025/26

[decmancity]

Shit performance, and as I said weeks ago, being played till the death because it's his final farewell. Should never be in a CM partnership ever again if Gonzalez is fit.

 

[Digsy's Dinner]

Yes it wasn't his best performance tonight, but he has been one of our better players this season for me. Not saying Pep shouldn't rest/drop him from time to time to see more of your Nico Gs, your Cherkis etc. But some of the comments in here are dramatic and is a clear contrast to following the Newcastle game last weekend.

 

[bluemoonste]

He's the last of our golden generation and I think he's trying too hard to sustain something that's gone. He wants to play in every position coz he's frustrated at the change n it's too much for him.

 

[super_city_si]

With Rodri and Nico G it can work. Just him and Rodri is back to the exact same shit we saw in that disaster run last season. A midfield that is over run by anyone who can sprint 10 yards and run quicker than a 20 second 100 meters.

Bernardo in that 3 has been good. He plays deeper and uses his intelligence to dictate. He has Nico Oreillys physicality to cover the ground ahead. In a 2 its just a disaster.

 

[skillman]

He’s fine in a 3. But in what world Pep thought a midfield 2 of Rodri and Bernardo would work away at Madrid, I’ll never know.

Ignoring the fact they’re both slow and were obviously going to get overrun - they’re both not creative enough. Which is fine, that’s not their game anymore.

They’re both recyclers. There to keep the ball ticking but Rodri at least tries to play through the lines. Bernardo doesn’t. I don’t think it’s a surprise that we looked a lot more fluid without him against Newcastle despite coming up against yet another low block for the majority.

When the player who arguably touches it the most in the side has no immediate thought to go forward then what chance have you got?

Bernardo is great for games like Anfield where he can buzz around and block passing lanes, work hard and try to nick it when they have the ball but other than that, he doesn’t offer anything at all.

But even for that, he needs more than just Rodri behind him. Calamitous from Pep.

 

[Akira]

Doesn't have the speed to get back defensively when he pushes too far up, leaving Rodri alone to anchor the midfield. Not his fault in that regard, just Pep's inability to recognize he's not the same player anymore.

 

[Mr HJ]

Only place he should have been on the team sheet last night was on the right side in place of Savinho. For Pep to think he and Rodri can stop a well organised team loaded down the middle was foolish. Now that he has made the call to leave he should be not the first name on the team sheet anymore.

Pep rightly has praised him and often over played him because he trust the little guy. Did he not say that Bernie will only leave when I do - quite a telling remark from years ago.

Recently he's had some very good performances but last night exposed a weakness in our set up that meant we lost control of possession - perhaps it's not Bernies fault that at times when we lost the ball up field we had five players on the wrong side of the ball making no effort to get back. If I was Bernie I'd tell Pep that fact.

 

[Damanino]

impossible for a midfield duo to be enough vs top opponent when one of them is Bernardo who is past his best, and Rodri may or may not reach his best after long time off the pitch.

to take OReilly out of the midfield trio so Semenyo can be played centrally like a deep attacker kind of instead was such a nonsense tactical move vs Real Madrid away it still pisses me off.

 

[ninjamonkey]

Now on 9 yellows, get one against chelsea and he's suspended for Arsenal game, if he gets one against Arsenal which is basically inevitable if he plays. He'll miss yhe following 2 games. For me, he can't play against Chelsea so that he can play against Arsenal. Ultimately doesn't really matter now as we've royally fucked it but still.

 

[Millwallawayveteran1988]

Now on 9 yellows, get one against chelsea and he's suspended for Arsenal game, if he gets one against Arsenal which is basically inevitable if he plays. He'll miss yhe following 2 games. For me, he can't play against Chelsea so that he can play against Arsenal. Ultimately doesn't really matter now as we've royally fucked it but still.

Doesn’t make any difference now and to be honest he doesn’t anymore.

 

[ninjamonkey]

Doesn’t make any difference now and to be honest he doesn’t anymore.

There is still Arsenals inability to beat us at home to cling on to, them beating us on our own patch would really legitimize their credentials as title winners and silence a lot of talk about them being unworthy winners. Even if we have thrown away any hope of the title, we can't relinquish the psychological edge we have, we have to beat them or as a minimum not lose and Bernardo in the middle is a vital part of us being able to do that.

 

[K-Bo]

There’s a difference between saying he’s shit, and saying we’d be better if someone else played. We’re sacrificing a 10 to keep him in the team and there’s such an enormous cost creatively every game

 

[Sk@mcfc]

There’s a difference between saying he’s shit, and saying we’d be better if someone else played. We’re sacrificing a 10 to keep him in the team and there’s such an enormous cost creatively every game

What’s the answer then because without him covering most positions this season we would be fucked he literally sacrifices himself every game and has done for the last two seasons

 

[Jonas.shaffer]

I thought he and Rodri were our best players, again.

 

[K-Bo]

What’s the answer then because without him covering most positions this season we would be fucked he literally sacrifices himself every game and has done for the last two seasons

Bernardo was genuinely awful last season, from the first game to the last. People are rewriting history now because he’s leaving.

I agree he’s improved this season. But there’s nothing defensively he can do that Nico G can’t do better and there’s nothing in attack he can do that cherki can’t do better.

This is emotional attachment nonsense from city fans and even worse from pep.

 

[sir baconface]

He does play like a crab but at least shows some bottle.

 

[Ban-jani]

My man of the match. Unlucky to go off

 

[skillman]

Idiotic decision making, that. Captain as well.

 

[Sam69]

It was a completely stupid move. I didn't want him to play; I felt that these kinds of matches weren't for him anymore.
What a shame...

 

[pbueno16]

If the forwards take the chances created, that incident doesn't happen. Looked good before the sending off sadly.