Bernardo Silva appears to aim dig at Rodri after Real Madrid move

Bernardo Silva appeared to take a swipe at former Manchester City team-mate Rodri after saying that playing for Real Madrid “is not for everyone” during his presentation by the 15-time European champions on Wednesday.

The 31-year-old Portugal midfielder joined Real Madrid from Manchester City at the end of his contract this summer and was officially welcomed at the Ciudad Real Madrid.

Real Madrid president Florentino Perez received Silva in the boardroom at the Santiago Bernabeu before the player spoke to the club’s television channel, Real Madrid TV.

Silva said he was proud to move to what he described as the world’s most successful club, highlighting the significance of Real Madrid’s record 15 Champions League titles.

“I’ve already played quite a few times at the Bernabeu when you arrive and see the 15 Champions League titles they display there, it’s very imposing, and having them here is very special,” Silva told Real Madrid TV.

“Playing for a club that has 15 Champions League titles is not for everyone, so I’m very proud and now I’ll give everything for this club.”

The comment appeared to contrast Silva’s decision to join Real Madrid with Rodri’s choice to move to La Liga rivals Barcelona.

Rodri, 30, joined Barcelona from Manchester City on Tuesday after previously being linked with Real Madrid. The Spain midfielder was also the subject of discussions between Real Madrid and its new head coach Jose Mourinho earlier in the summer.

“I spoke with him a couple of times, and Real Madrid made him a very good offer,” Mourinho told Spanish television show El Chiringuito this week.

“Rodri had doubts… and the doubts of Rodri created doubts for me.

“He’s an extraordinary player and was very professional with us, nothing negative to say. But Real Madrid is a club of a stature that can’t have players who think twice about it.”

Barcelona announced Rodri’s signing on Tuesday, describing him as Spain’s World Cup-winning captain. The deal will keep him at the Catalan club until 2030.

His transfer ended one of the longest-running sagas of the summer. Reports on Sunday said Barcelona and Manchester City had reached an agreement for the move, with the fee understood to be about 75m euros.

Rodri is Barcelona’s third high-profile signing of the summer, following Anthony Gordon’s arrival from Newcastle and Karim Adeyemi’s move from Borussia Dortmund.

Silva, meanwhile, begins his Real Madrid career after leaving Manchester City as a free agent. His first public appearance as a Madrid player came at the club’s official welcoming ceremony, staged at the Ciudad Real Madrid, with Perez greeting him at the Bernabeu.

Image: Antonio Villalba/realmadrid.com