Manchester City midfielder Bernardo Silva was the star of the UEFA Champions League semifinal second-leg contest.
The 28-year-old scored a brace in the first half, helping the English club secure a 4-0 win (5-1 on aggregate) over Real Madrid on Wednesday at the Etihad Stadium. Furthermore, Silva joined Lionel Messi in an impressive stat after his performance.
OptaJose noted on Twitter that Silva is the third player to score two or more goals against Real Madrid in a Champions League semifinals contest.
2+ – Bernardo Silva 🇵🇹 (2) is the third player to score 2+ goals against @realmadriden in a semi-finals match in @ChampionsLeague after Lionel Messi 🇦🇷 (2) and Robert Lewandowski 🇵🇱 (4), the first to achieve that in the second leg of this round. Chosen. pic.twitter.com/OMGOa9v845
— OptaJose (@OptaJose) May 17, 2023
The other two players are Messi, who scored two goals in 2011; meanwhile, Robert Lewandowski registered four goals in 2013.
Silva’s performance might also capture the attention of PSG as the capital club is linked to the Portugal international. Even after the contest, Silva was asked about the rumors connecting him to the French giants and a return to Ligue 1.
“The program is to finish the season well, win the Premier League, try against United in the FA Cup final, and then Inter,” Silva said postgame. “After that, this summer, we’ll see what happens.”
It will be interesting to see if how Silva closes the 2022-23 season further fuels sporting advisor Luis Campos’ desire to bring his former player to PSG.
