Pep Guardiola considered Bernardo Silva s first goal against Sporting CP on Tuesday one of the best I ve ever seen .
Silva, a former Benfica player returning to Lisbon, netted twice in Manchester City s stunning 5-0 defeat of Sporting in the first leg of their Champions League last-16 tie.
The moment of the match came 17 minutes in when the City midfielder thundered a half-volley in off the crossbar to put the visitors two up.
Silva had not scored a Champions League goal since the same stage of last year s tournament, with his two on Tuesday meaning five of his eight City strikes in the competition have been netted in the last 16.
This was Silva s first ever Champions League brace and took him to 10 goals for the season in all competitions – his most in a single club campaign since 13 in 2018-19.
Guardiola has long felt Silva could score more often, as he told a news conference: Always I tell him: Bernardo, you are a perfect player, defensively so intuitive, can run 12km, 13km – but with sense, not just running for running – and with the ball he s more than exceptional.
But I always say: you have to score goals, you have to win games, you have the ability to do it.
And today, with the [first] goal, he scored one of the best I ve ever seen – for the technique, for everything. Hopefully he can get confidence [from the goal].
Silva also added his third assist of the season for Raheem Sterling s fifth goal, while his three tackles were a joint-high among City players in an all-action display that showed why Guardiola considers the midfielder unique .
He can play in six roles, easily, the City manager said. He doesn t just play football; he understands the game. There are players that play good with the ball, but he understands the game, exactly what he needs with every action.
There are few in the world [like him], few. He s a fantastic player.
Hopefully he can stay with Man City for many, many years, but it depends of course the club will decide and himself.
