Bernardo Silva’s Latest Milestone is a Manifestation of Pep Guardiola’s Tactical Evolution
Bernardo Silva arrived at Manchester City in 2017 as a prototypical Pep Guardiola player, diminutive and technically immaculate. He drew immediate comparison to David Silva, who at the time was a lead creator for Guardiola.
On Saturday, Bernardo surpassed his predecessor in City’s all-time appearance rankings, becoming the only 21st-century player to break into the club’s top ten. The milestone is a testament not just to longevity, but to adaptability, a quality that has defined both the player’s career and Guardiola’s evolving tactical demands.
Bernardo arrived in Manchester fresh from a prolific final season with AS Monaco, where he registered 23 goal contributions. That attacking prowess reflected the freedom and technical expression that characterised Guardiola’s early City sides. Today, however, Bernardo operates in a more structured environment. Often deployed alongside Rodri, he carries noticeably less attacking responsibility, replaced by intensity and tactical discipline.
It is this ability to transition seamlessly between roles that has enabled Bernardo to reach 437 appearances. Few players combine such relentless work rate with elite technical quality, and fewer still are willing to subordinate personal expression to collective function as consistently as he has done.
Many gifted players have struggled to adapt to Pep’s demands and have been moved on with no hesitation. With his methods repeatedly proven successful, accepting his ideals is essential. In that environment, Silva is a model student. Now wearing the captain’s armband, he was recently proclaimed by Guardiola as his ‘favourite’.
Bernardo, then, is ideal for his manager’s artistry, allowing Guardiola to render his tactical ideas as they change. This season, that has meant responding to a Premier League increasingly emphasising physicality. Confrontations with Harry Maguire and Joelinton have demonstrated Bernardo’s willingness to provide bite as well as guile. City increasingly require edge and resilience in their midfield and with Silva providing it, he remains essential.
Where Guardiola’s sides once relied on false nines, darting fullbacks and technically sound centre backs, his 2023 Champions League-winning starting XI contained four towering centre backs and a powerhouse in Erling Haaland. The growing reliance on height and power in today’s Premier League, exemplified by leaders Arsenal, is something the Spaniard helped shape.
The Manchester City manager is football’s most influential thinker, and tactical trends tend to follow his lead. Through each evolution, Bernardo Silva has been the constant. At 31, he may yet witness another shift in Guardiola’s thinking. History suggests Bernardo will adapt, continuing to add to an appearance record that now reflects far more than endurance. It is the effect of complete alignment between player and philosophy.
By: Calvin Burton / @CalvinBurton_
Featured Image: @GabFoligno / Matt McNulty – Manchester City