SITTING TARGET
Bernardo Silva is the favourite victim of City’s many practical jokers and insists: It’s great as it makes training fun
HE’S been chucked in a pool fully clothed, had his shoes tied to the ceiling and eggs smashed over his head.
Yet Bernardo Silva is happy to be the victim of his Manchester City teammates’ pranks.
Apparently Silva is the favourite target for City’s practical jokers because of his questionable dress sense.
The Portuguese takes it in good heart and the pranks underline the Crazy Gangtype spirit in the City dressing room, which helped them win the title last season in record-breaking fashion. “It’s alright,” smiled the game-fora-laugh Silva. “We have fun.
“I like to enjoy every day and have fun in the training sessions.
“With the amazing atmosphere around the Manchester City dressing room, it’s good to go out to train every day.”
Silva’s fellow Portuguese speakers, Fernandinho, Gabriel Jesus and Ederson, are some of the pranksters while the ringleader is his old Monaco pal Benjamin Mendy (right).
Silva, 23, has been on his guard since reporting back for pre-season duty on Monday because World Cup winner Mendy returned with him. “I’d say it’s Ben Mendy,” he said when asked who was the worst. “He played with me in Monaco and he’s a really good guy. He always creates a great atmosphere in the dressing room.
“He’s always happy, always trying to make people laugh and do funny things. That’s important in a dressing room.”
So far, Silva’s clothes, shoes and hair have been untouched after he agreed to City’s request to come back early from his post-World Cup break.
He reported back later last summer for pre-season because of the Confederations Cup and consequently took the first half of the campaign to get fully up to speed in the Premier League. He finished strongly, scoring seven goals to take his tally in his debut season to nine, and Pep Guardiola wants him to hit the ground running this time. “They asked me if I could come a bit earlier and I said of course,” said the £43million attacking midfielder. “I talked with all the staff and we thought it would be good. “I want to try to do well this season and I want to get fit as soon as I can to start well.” Silva will be up against his old Monaco pal Fabinho at Liverpool next season and he is glad the Brazilian has joined him in the north west.
“I messaged him when he moved,” he said. “I’m happy for him, he’s a big friend of mine. We were together in Monaco for a few years.
“He was one of the players, who helped me when I moved to Monaco and he is one of my big friends in football.
“When I first arrived in Monaco he had been there for a year and because we spoke the same language, he was one of the players who helped me to adapt and train well.
“As a person and player I wish him the best, but not on the pitch against me. I want to beat him, of course.”