There have been more iconic moments in Bernardo Silva’s time at Manchester City. The open-mouthed euphoria of scoring twice against Real Madrid last year tops the lot. For City supporters, how he clung onto a polystyrene cup of coffee during a guard of honour for Liverpool in an act of disrespect comes close.
More iconic but then none more redemptive than Wembley. When he does eventually leave, those standing behind that goal will remember their beating heart thumping the badge on squeezing City through to another FA Cup final. Silva is one of those rarities: simultaneously both a sensational footballer and cult hero.
He barely slept a wink on Wednesday night, Silva. And not just because of baby Carlota.
‘Thursday night I slept a bit better,’ he said. The pain doesn’t subside that quickly, although Saturday undoubtedly helped.
While Silva might have needed to score the winner for himself, he certainly didn’t need to for his team mates or manager.
Everybody at City is made to know how much the Portuguese has sacrificed for a club to have enjoyed him for seven seasons – far longer than he intended or even wanted.
The problem for Silva over the years, when he has asked to leave, is that he’s made himself too valuable. Way too valuable.
The utility jobs have been performed far too well. The club who say any player is allowed to seek new pastures for the right price have bent their own rules for him. Paris Saint-Germain and Barcelona have never threatened to bid anywhere near City’s lofty asking price.
A release clause in his latest contract changes the landscape ahead of the summer and it is still to be seen whether those numbers are attainable for interested parties – one likely to be former club Benfica, where Silva hopes to finish his career.
Regardless, City’s farewell to Silva will be as heartfelt as any of those who went before him and what cannot be denied is how much Silva has given Guardiola, who has always been hugely appreciative.
It happened again this weekend. Silva felt his hamstring and right calf in the opening quarter of the semi-final and, truth be told, was considerably short of his best all day. He kept on going, kept on running.
‘I wasn’t fine at all,’ he said while echoing Guardiola’s complaints about the schedule.
‘It’s too much. Saturday was too much. It wasn’t a level field because the FA didn’t give us a chance to recover. It looks like they don’t care because we’ve said it many times.
‘This team is like a family, like brothers the way we support each other when someone misses. The guys were unbelievable with me this week. And yeah, we stick together and we go for it. Now we have the FA Cup and the Premier League to go for we’re going to do our best to win those titles.’
Silva has re-lived the penalty and suggested that he hadn’t made his mind up until watching Julian Alvarez’s first spot kick.
‘Basically, I had two options, I had in my mind one of the sides or the middle, I was waiting,’ he added.
‘I wanted to be the second or the third penalty to see the reaction from the keeper in the first penalties.
‘And he moved early, that’s why I thought middle was good because in moments of pressure the keepers 99 per cent of the time move but he chose not to.’
Fortunately for him, Djordje Petrovic also remained rooted and Silva earned salvation.