TREBLE YELL
Bernardo’s City are up for more Silva-ware now hangover is gone
BERNARDO SILVA admits Manchester City started this season with the mother of all hangovers.
But he is convinced Pep Guardiola’s men can finish this one with a double Treble to celebrate.
And if City can pull off a piece of footballing history, he reckons it will make them the greatest club side of all time.
City host Real Madrid in the Champions League tonight looking to make it through to the semi-finals.
The reigning champions have a twopoint lead in the title race and face Chelsea in the last four of the FA Cup this Saturday.
Silva admits the chance to become the best of the best is motivating City to secure a place in footballing folklore.
He said: “Obviously the inspiration and motivation is there, because we know how well this team has done.
“From a team that won a Treble, that came back on a bit of a hangover but then have that hunger to go every three days, it is not easy. We have given ourselves a chance.
“And we want to create that legacy. To win another Premier League to make six in seven years and four in a row.
“We want to win the Champions League to win two in a row. Only Madrid did three in a row.
“And if we win two Trebles in a row, that would be a legacy. We are fighting for it.”
City need to get past Real to keep alive their dreams of achieving a miracle.
And while the tie is tantalisingly poised at 3-3 from the first leg in the Bernabeu, Silva admits City will draw on memories of the 4-0 hammering they dished out to Real in last season’s semi in Manchester.
Silva knows Real will be out for revenge, just like City were last season after seeing their biggest rivals score twice in stoppage time in Spain to pull off an astonishing win and go on to the final in Paris.
Silva added: “For sure, they will want a bit of revenge, so it will be a very difficult game.
“But we have that feeling that at home we are very strong with our people.
“After what happened the season before, when we were knocked out by Real Madrid at the Bernabeu, we wanted to put things right. That performance was a bit of an apology to our fans for what happened the season before.
“Because we felt we owed them another chance to win the competition.
“Now it is a different game with different teams. Let’s see, but we are very confident because we play at home against the kings of the competition.”
Guardiola will be boosted by the return of Kevin De Bruyne and Kyle Walker, who were both absent in Madrid last week.
And while Silva admits this will be a huge bonus, the Portuguese star has warned City to dismiss Real at their peril.
He said: “We have the maximum respect for Real Madrid, for everything they have achieved in this competition and their history. We know it is a very dangerous team.
“Sometimes you feel you are in control and then they get in behind and score goals, so it is very difficult to control Real Madrid.
“You have the feeling you have the game under control, but you never do. Individually they are one of the best teams, player for player, in the world.”