The midfielder is returning to his best form after a “hard time” after blocking a tweet sent to teammate Benjamin Mendy
Pep Guardiola said Manchester City midfielder Bernardo Silva was in trouble after being accused by the Football Association for a controversial tweet.
A Portuguese midfielder has been banned for one match and fined £ 50,000 ($ 64,160) in a tweet targeting teammate Benjamin Mendy in 2019.
He included a photo of Mendy as a child along with an old image from the Spanish company ‘Conguitos’ which was condemned for racist promises.
The French defendant took no offense, responding with smiling emojis, but the tweet was described as a “worse breach” of FA rules on social media behavior.
Both Guardiola and Mendy defended the player after that, but the City boss still said the controversy contributed to a drop in form for Silva.
But the Portugal star has been close to his best this season and added another non-stop performance in the 1-0 win over Sheffield United to help move City three points clear at the top of the Premier League.
“What a great competitor again – he played an amazing game and it was just brilliant,” said Guardiola. “Humility – in bad times he never loses his smile.
“It was a difficult time for him, when he was accused of something that is not, and it was so painful for him.
“But I still can’t understand how the people were [FA], can his accusation be a joke from a true friend of Mendy ‘s and he struggled strongly because he is a humble man.
“I’m delighted he’s back and he’s playing to the best of our knowledge. He can do everything. He is another great player who always serves the team. ”
Meanwhile, the victory over the Blades was City’s ninth in January, setting a new record for most wins with a team in the top four levels of English football in one months.
Guardiola said coronavirus pandemic was a huge achievement when there are no fans in the stadium and the fixture table is condensed.
“This is amazing, more than any other time in our lives and that’s why I didn’t expect it,” he said.
“I told the players at the meeting, we have finished the first leg, congratulations, it is amazing what you have done for all of you and now keep going. Now return home and relax and Burnley. ”
City are back in action Wednesday when they face Burnley at Turf Moor.