Manchester City midfielder Bernardo Silva has his sights set on the chance of lifting the Emirates FA Cup for the third time when Pep Guardiola’s side lock horns with Nottingham Forest in the semi-final this weekend.
The Citizens have already made history this season, becoming the first side to reach the last four for a seventh consecutive season.
But after falling short against local rivals Manchester United in last year’s showpiece at Wembley, Silva and his team-mates are hoping to right those wrongs and re-claim the silverware.
“Last year, it wasn’t the greatest final that we played – I don’t like to make excuses but I think the team was very relieved after the title race to win the Premier League and we dropped our level a little bit in that final,” said Silva.
“We want to be there again to come back and try and win this trophy again. We can make it three finals in a row.”
Since joining the club in 2017, the 30-year-old has won it all: six Premier League titles, four League Cups, two FA Community Shields, the Champions League, the Club World Cup and not forgetting the FA Cup on two occasions – 2018-19 and 2022-23.
“Overall, it’s more than I ever expected in terms of what we’ve achieved as a team and as a club with the six Premier Leagues in eight seasons, with the Champions League, the FA Cups and all the titles,” continued Silva.
“I’m very proud to have this opportunity to be a part of this team and to be able to achieve what we did was unbelievable. The level is higher season after season so your level needs to go with that.
“Obviously, this season was not even close to where we want to be – that’s part of life, that’s part of football. A year like this had to come and time to regroup and go back to the basics and do what we used to do well.”
But it hasn’t always been plain sailing. The Portuguese international, who made the switch from Monaco eight years ago, admitted to finding the transition somewhat challenging.
“The city was different from my culture and from what I was used to,” explained Silva. “The change from my city, from Lisbon, or from Monaco where I was to here, apart from football, was not very easy.
“What saved me in a way and what helped me a lot was the football, the club, the fans, my team-mates.
A flick from Bernardo Silva to unleash the @ManCity attack 😮💨#EmiratesFACup pic.twitter.com/h3ldhlkz6L
— Emirates FA Cup (@EmiratesFACup) April 3, 2025
“The way they welcomed me, they made me feel at home in every game and every time we played and we were together. I think that was the thing that kept me strong here and in a place where I wasn’t feeling as familiar.
“That relationship, not only with my team-mates and the club but also with the fans was what kept me going.”
Now, he has the chance to reward the same fans who made him feel at home in Manchester when City march on the semi-final on Sunday.
