Manchester City star reveals departure of club legend was a “difficult time” | OneFootball

Bernardo Silva has admitted to having “mixed emotions” in regards to becoming captain upon the departure of Manchester City legend Kevin De Bruyne to Napoli.

Silva was elected City captain as the faithful servant entered his ninth campaign in the engine room at the Etihad Stadium. He was, however, given rather impossible shoes to fill, overtaking the role from the adored De Bruyne following the expiration of the No.17’s contract.

Last term, Kyle Walker was initially elected to top the leadership ranks at Manchester City following the annual player vote, which saw the Englishman chosen to become the Blues’ club captain.

However, following a spell of poor performances from the veteran right-back in a collectively difficult season for Pep Guardiola’s side, the former City No.2 elected to depart in January to AC Milan on a six-month loan, relinquishing his position.

Naturally, this saw vice-captain and fellow veteran of the game Kevin De Bruyne take on the role, in what would only turn out to be on an interim basis as the 34-year-old would bid an emotional farewell to a blissful decade in Manchester at the end of the season to join Napoli.

As a result, not only was there an irreparable hole left on the pitch, but Pep Guardiola was also forced to elect yet another head of the leadership team for Manchester City, and the Catalan saw fit to call upon Bernardo Silva to wear the armband for the 2025/2026 campaign.

In an appearance on DAZN Portugal, as relayed by Noticias Ao Minuto and translated by Sport Witness, Bernardo Silva revealed taking on the role for Guardiola to be a “great honour” that came with “mixed emotions” due to the departure of legend De Bruyne.

“The first time he told me about it was at the end of last season,” he said. “It was a difficult time because it was at a time when a friend was leaving.

“It was when Kevin, who was our captain, was leaving. And so, for me personally, I had been with him for eight years; it was hard to see him go. It ends up being a mix of the two things you said.

“It’s a great honour, because obviously, in my 9th year… to be able to play, to be the voice of the team with the coach and also outside. And also, to try to be that voice of help for the new guys who arrive so that they adapt as quickly as possible.”

The captaincy at Manchester City has historically been held by midfielders over the last six years, as Vincent Kompany held it from 2011 to 2019. David Silva, Fernandinho, and Ilkay Gundogan have all held it between 2019 to 2023, before Kyle Walker’s tenure.

The No.20 became the latest in a long line of legendary midfielders to captain the Sky Blues as they aim to atone for the significant drop-off in performance last campaign and regain the silverware they most desperately crave.

The former treble winner will aim to steer his club back to silverware come the end of this season, but it remains to be seen if he will continue his role as captain beyond that point, as there are ongoing question marks over the future of the Portuguese international.