CHILD’S PLAY
Nearly losing my son gave me new outlook
DAVID SILVA says the experience of nearly losing his young son has helped him keep football in perspective.
The midfielder has been used more sparingly by boss Pep Guardiola this season than in any of his other glittering 10 years at Manchester City as the club plan for a future without him.
But Silva says nothing the day job throws at him could cause him any worry after the experience of going through his son Mateo’s early struggles.
“I think you learn to value the important things in life,” he said.
“I don’t waste my time doing my head in about stupid things that don’t really matter and don’t waste time worrying over nothing.
“So yeah, it puts things in perspective.”
Silva’s partner Yessica gave birth to the now happily bouncing two-year-old Mateo at 25 weeks in December 2017.
He spent the first five months of his life in hospital.
It was a difficult time, with Silva flitting between Manchester and Valencia and trying to place his career into perspective.
“They were the hardest few months of my life,” said Silva, speaking about the period in a book released tomorrow by City.
“I don’t think anyone can ever be prepared for something like that.
“Until you physically go through that situation, you can’t appreciate what it would be like.
“Everyone has an image of a premature child but until you live and experience it you just don’t know how bad it is.”
Silva paid tribute to the role team-mates and Guardiola played at the time.
In the first game after he rushed to be with Yessica and Mateo, Kevin De Bruyne celebrated a goal against Spurs by signalling his No.21 to the pitchside camera.
“It is something that I’ll be grateful for forever,” said Silva of the dressing-room solidarity.
“I owe Pep Guardiola, my teammates and the club so much.
“Everyone was so supportive. My head wasn’t in Manchester and Pep recognised it was better for the team, and my own wellbeing, if I was with my family.
“I had to be close to them. If it hadn’t happened this way, there’s no way I’d have been able to deal with everything. All of the coming and going to and from Valencia would have been too much.”
Silva will leave the Etihad at the end of a campaign which has seen him play the full 90 minutes just six times in the league as Guardiola makes the transition.
Hard-earned perspective has ensured the smile has remained and Silva is still a hugely positive influence at the club during what can be a difficult period.
Nothing football will throw his way will change that.
■ David Silva:
El Mago – A
Decade Of
Magic, an official Manchester City book, is on sale tomorrow from shop.mancity. com or Amazon