Bernardo Silva admits it’s ‘BORING’ playing for Man City

Robin Bairner

• 13 May 2023 17:55 BST
• 3 min read

Manchester City midfielder Bernardo Silva came very close to moving to Barcelona last summer and is expected to be a summer transfer target for the Camp Nou side this time around – particularly after admitting that it’s “often” boring playing for the Etihad club.

Barca continue to be linked with the Portugal international, who is under contract until 2025, but there are legitimate doubts over whether they can afford him.

Reports emerged in March that City are willing to sell the 28-year-old for a fee in the region of €80 million – a lavish sum for a club that needs to make significant budget cuts.

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There are suggestions, too, that Silva is unhappy with his playing time at City, where he has often been restricted to the role of replacement since the World Cup.

Silva, meanwhile, has admitted that he regularly finds playing for City dull.

Asked by France Football what he likes doing lead on the pitch, he said: “The thing I like doing least is the thing I do most. The most boring matches are the games against teams that play with 10 defenders. And against us, it’s often like that.”

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Bernardo Silva tells Barcelona his favourite position

Manager Pep Guardiola has also moved the former Monaco man about in his team, with Bernardo featuring in a wide variety of roles.

If he leaves in the summer for Barcelona, which position would he like to play in?

“I don’t even know my position any more!” he said. “In truth, my natural position is as a No.8 or a No.10. But over the last few years, I’ve played as a false 9, a right winger and I even played on the left this season.

“Apart from defence, the position that I hate the most is of the left. On the right, I can dribble to go inside. On the left wing, I don’t like it at all.

“I don’t have a right foot. If I could, I’d go back to when I was time. At the time, I always played with the left foot. My coaches told me: ‘Try a little with the right foot.’

“But I didn't listen to them. Now I feel like my right foot is missing. I don't know anything to do with it.”

Man City face Everton in the Premier League on Sunday before facing Real Madrid in the Champions League on Wednesday.