City will fight to give Bernardo the right send-off, says Zabaleta | OneFootball

Former Blues defender Pablo Zabaleta believes City will fight to provide captain Bernardo Silva with the perfect send-off as he prepares to call time on an incredible nine years at the Club.

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On Thursday afternoon, the Portugal international confirmed he will leave City at the end of the season to complete a glorious trophy-laden period in which the midfielder has been an integral member of Pep Guardiola’s side.

To date, the skipper has helped City win 19 major trophies and he could add two further pieces of silverware to his cabinet in the final five weeks of the season, with City fighting for the FA Cup and Premier League title.

The latter is in full focus ahead of this weekend’s latest top-flight clash. We welcome title contenders Arsenal to the Etihad for a key 16:30 (UK) kick-off on Sunday 19 April.

A triumph on home soil would move City just three points behind the Gunners and with a game in hand over the league leaders.

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And from one City legend to another, Zabaleta is confident Guardiola’s side will want to lift as many trophies as possible alongside Silva in the final defining few weeks of the season.

“The City fans will want to see the players giving 100% for the team,” said Zabaleta when asked what the fans will expect to see at the Etihad on Sunday.

“Of course the fans want to see the team win, but at the end of the day, it’s just about giving their all for the fans.

“That would be brilliant.

“And I saw that Bernardo is leaving at the end of the season as well and I think for the players that have been at the Club that long, he’s a legend.

“Winning the Premier League for players like Bernardo who is leaving, that would be a fantastic end to the season for the Club, for everyone, for the fans and for those players are leaving.”

Zabaleta, who spent nine years at the Etihad and was a key part of our 2011-12 title triumph, has been watching City closely this season.

The 41-year-old has seen the team hit top form in recent weeks as Guardiola’s side has gone on to win the Carabao Cup, close the gap in the title race and also secure our place in the FA Cup semi-finals.

And he expressed his delight and anticipation ahead of what he expects to be a thrilling end to the campaign.

“The cup final [against Arsenal], the Chelsea game and especially that second half performance was incredible,” added Zabaleta.

“What a fantastic performance, they knew that they needed to win that game and they came out in the second half and put a great performance to win the game.

“[Wining] The cup final against Arsenal. After Madrid, the elimination from the Champions League against Real Madrid, which was a tough one to take, that has always been the City spirit to fight until the very end.

“The team is playing well. Individually, some of the players have been fantastic this season. Especially at this stage of the season when all of them need to bring the best out of each other.

“Even when I see with [Rayan] Cherki playing a key role in the team. It seems he brings that creativity into the team, and he’s been a key player in the team for the last few games.

“I will be watching every single game and I want Man City to win the Premier League, League Cup [and FA Cup].

“I know that after so many years of winning trophies most in every season, that’s what now as a former football player from the club, this is what I want to see, Man City winning always something.

“I know that sometimes when the Treble, the quadruple is something so, so hard, that can happen in one season. But not very often.

“But of course, always winning something that is what Man City fans, football players, they all want to see.

“So, of course I’m supporting the team, and I’m always thinking about the Man City fans.

“And I always appreciate when I listen to that song [the Pablo Zabaleta chant] on TV or when I’ve been at the Etihad as well. So that’s brilliant.”