Bernardo’s first night at the Etihad | OneFootball

City’s trip to Monaco in the Champions League this week will bring back special memories for one member of Pep Guardiola’s squad in particular.

Bernardo Silva began his career at boyhood club Benfica ahead of joining an exciting project taking place in the principality off the French coast.

Before 414 appearances and 18 major trophies to date in a glittering City career, our playmaker called the Stade Louis II, where City face Adi Hutter’s Ligue 1 side on Wednesday, home for three seasons in total.

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That included a special 2016/17 campaign when Monaco were crowned French champions and reached the semi-finals of the UEFA Champions League.

On that European run, they came across Pep Guardiola and City in a Round of 16 tie that is now regarded as an all-time classic.

Guardiola was in his first season at City and building for the domestic dominance that would follow, but it wasn’t quite in place at this point.

Meanwhile, Monaco were a mix of prodigiously talented youngsters and experienced professionals.

WATCH: Bernardo Silva: My First Season

Across the two legs, it finished 6-6 on aggregate with Monaco progressing on the away goals rule.

Eight of those 12 goals came in a frenzied first leg at the Etihad, when City fans got their first glimpse of the man that is now our club captain.

The visitors set up with captain Radamel Falcao leading the line ahead of Bernardo, Thomas Lemar and a teenage Kylian Mbappe.

It’s likely only Falcao was well known amongst City fans beforehand but all of that forward line would have everyone talking later on.

Bernardo himself was everything we have come to expect during his eight years plus in Manchester.

A buzzing, tireless presence off the ball and a calm, technically outstanding dribbler and passer on it, anyone watching on could see how perfectly he’d suit Pep’s football.

While he didn’t score, the No.10 had the Etihad in awe with one particular moment of brilliance, dancing away from Leroy Sane and then nutmegging Yaya Toure before rolling a perfect through ball into the path of Falcao.

The moment left a lasting impression not only on the City faithful in the Etihad, but also the victim himself.

Speaking earlier this year in a video that reflected on his early association with City, Bernardo said: “I remember this moment because Yaya kept punishing me when I joined because of this.

“I tried [to remind him of it when we were team-mates] but he wouldn’t let me talk about it!”

City persevered and came out 5-3 winners on the night through clinical finishing and a supreme show of resilience.

There was no shortage of respect shown to Bernardo at full-time though, with City players and staff quick to congratulate him on a performance that pushed us right to the very edge.

A 3-1 defeat in Monaco three weeks later meant the tie was the end of City’s continental campaign, but a marker was laid for the future.

“Those two matches changed the course of my career,” he said.

WATCH: Watch: The best of Bernardo after 400 City appearances

“I saw Pep outside at the mixed zone where we were both giving interviews and he came up to me and said, ‘Congratulations on the match’.

“I don’t remember the exact words but I remember him telling me that he was really impressed.

“I also remember that the day after my agent called me and said they were really impressed. I said wow!

“It was a very good experience [to play at the Etihad] and who knew that it was the first time of a lot, a lot, a lot of games.

“It was that tie that made me want to play in the Premier League and at the end of the season, City asked me if I wanted to come and so it was a dream come true – and it was an easy answer.”

Ahead of Wednesday, that two-legged tie remains the only competitive meetings between City and Monaco.

This third instalment will no doubt bring back floods of memories for Bernardo of the 22-year-old version of himself who dreamed of the career he’s since built in Manchester.