Departing Bernardo Silva admits Guardiola “changed the way I see football” after Man City FA Cup win, but could Mourinho be his next manager in Madrid? | OneFootball

Bernardo won his 20th trophy at City [Getty Images]

Bernardo Silva won his 20th trophy as a Manchester City player at the weekend as his side defeated Chelsea 1-0 to lift the FA Cup, as the Portuguese international prepares for what will be an emotional final week with the club.

Last month, Bernardo confirmed he will leave the Etihad Stadium at the conclusion of his contract this summer, which has led to widespread interest across Europe in securing the services of the 31-year-old on a free transfer. For now, Bernardo is keen to enjoy his latest trophy, which came thanks to Antoin Semenyo’s goal in the victory over Chelsea.

“It’s very special, I’m really happy,” he told reporters after the match. “Everything about my journey at Man City was fantastic and it’s really nice to finish this way. It’s now 8-9 days until the end. Every day it feels a bit more emotional. This week is going to be very special for me.

"Today we are very happy. It is just special for me, being my last season to give them another trophy. Hopefully, not the last one!

"Since I arrived it has been 20 [trophies], so it is not bad. That was a fantastic goal. In a final there are no favourites. The beginning of the second half, they started really strong. They were putting us under constant pressure and it wasn't easy.”

Key to Bernardo’s success at City has been his relationship with manager Pep Guardiola, who regularly admits the Portugal man is one of his most treasured players. Last month, Guardiola told a journalist “if you keep talking about him, I might cry” and conceded that he wanted Bernardo to remain at City for the rest of his career.

"He changed the way I see football,” Bernardo said on Saturday. “Everything we won, he (Guardiola) is probably the main reason we did it. 80% of my career was with him as my manager. All the things I hoped to achieve were with him. The relationship we have got is very strong with the frustrations and the achievements.

“I hope that one day when I’m in the same city he’s in, we can have dinner, go for lunch and be friends.

"Will he stay here? I care a lot about Man City. That's his decision. It is not for me to comment on that. I wish all the best. I enjoy being with him having shared all these moments together."

Madrid enter the story

Many of the continent’s finest clubs have been linked with Bernardo ahead of the summer window, including Juventus, Atletico Madrid and Barcelona. According to reports in Spain, Real Madrid could become the latest side with a serious interest, prompting the intriguing prospect of Bernardo working under José Mourinho, who is expected to take charge at the Santiago Bernabeu.

Outlets in Spanish capital believe Bernardo’s name has been introduced to conversations at Real ahead of an important rebuild this summer. Meanwhile, Juventus may be a less likely options should they fail to qualify for the Champions League, following their slip to 6th place in Serie A.