Manchester City’s Bernardo Silva believes no-one will want to be drawn against Pep Guardiola’s side in the UEFA Champions League quarter-final draw on Friday.
City have stormed the Premier League this season, and could well have the title wrapped up before the time the quarter-finals even begin, should they win their first two games back after the international break.
With the draw taking place on Friday, the Portuguese international believes City have earned the respect of Europe’s elite thanks to their impressive form so far this season, making them a team everyone else will want to avoid.
“I think the other teams don’t want to draw Manchester City,” Bernardo told reporters in Abu Dhabi on Thursday evening, where City are currently enjoying a warm-weather training camp.
“They look at us also and they have a respect for the football we have been playing this season.”
City will watch the draw together on Friday, and while Bernardo believes City are capable of winning the Champions League this season, there are still two teams he’d rather avoid at this stage of the competition.
“We will try to win. It doesn’t matter who we play against, but obviously when you play against teams like Real or Barca, who have lots of experience in these kind of competitions, it’s always complicated,” the 23-year-old added.
“To be in the quarter-finals of the Champions League is not easy, to be there is fantastic, one of the eight best teams in Europe at the moment but I think we have a good team to make something special and we will try it.”
