Lisbon: Manchester City midfielder Bernardo Silva insists injury worries are not an excuse for players to not try to win every game they go in to as the side continue to compete on multiple fronts.
Pep Guardiola’s City are in Lisbon for Tuesday’s Champions League clash with Portuguese champions Sporting CP.
It has been a tough few weeks for City on the injury front with a number of key players having been affected. John Stones, Jack Grealish and Ruben Dias were all not part of the matchday squad that travelled out to Lisbon.
Meanwhile long-term injury victims Rodrigo and Oscar Bobb also remain sidelined.
“With a full squad we are stronger, there’s no denying that. We have a lot of unbelievable players missing. We have not been able to count on Kevin for six weeks. Rodri is out for the season. And other players out shorter times. But wenever find excuses. This club was never about that,” Bernardo was quoted by Man City website.
“Kevin was out a few years ago for six months and we won the title. We always manage. Perform well individually, do your work and be there to help the team,” he said.
City go into the game against Sporting after two successive defeats following a positive start to the season. They suffered first loss of the term last Wednesday as Tottenham Hotspur defeated them in the Carabao Cup, before a 2-1 defeat at Bournemouth in the Premier League on Saturday.
Reflecting on a tough week, Bernardo said,” “We were in a very good moment, even though we were winning by small margins. But we were being consistent. It’s not easy to play against 11 players in the box and that’s how teams play against us now.”
“The last two were different – Tottenham was a different competition and the manager tried some different things, we accept that defeat.
“Bournemouth is much more frustrating for me personally because that is our main competition right now- they were better than us, that is what is frustrating. They were better in all departments. We have to deal with that,” he said.
“It’s individual – each of us individually needs to look at ourselves and be ready for the games. We need injured players back because with a full squad we are stronger. We need to perform better in every action and be ready for the games. And start winning again because this club has set standards that mean we win demand that we again and again and again,” the midfielder concluded.
After two wins and a draw, City have seven points from first three outings in the league phase of the Champions
League.
–IANS
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