Bernardo Silva reveals mood inside Manchester City dressing room after Al Hilal defeat | OneFootball

Manchester City’s players now ‘need a few weeks’ before returning to preparations ahead of the new Premier League season, according to Bernardo Silva.

Pep Guardiola’s stars crashed out of the FIFA Club World Cup at the last-16 stage via a dramatic 3-4 defeat to Al Hilal after extra-time in Orlando, setting up a quarter-final meeting between the Saudi Arabian club and Fluminense on Friday.

It brings an end to an originally promising tournament in the United States for City, who became the only side in the competition to win all three of their group stages games by defeating Wydad AC, Al Ain, and Juventus.

However, defensive frailties continued to loom large for Pep Guardiola’s side as they succumbed to numerous counter-attacks that would pay dividends for Al Hilal across the course of 120 minutes of action.

Speaking after Manchester City’s exit from the FIFA Club World Cup, Bernardo Silva opened up on the manner of his side’s defeat to Al Hilal as he explained, “Especially controlling transitions because the ball we had again, the chances we had again.

“After all, we scored three and could’ve scored five, six. It was all about controlling when we lost the ball, controlling the transitions, don’t let them run, and they ran way too many times! With one, two passes there was always a feeling of danger coming from them.”

The Etihad Stadium captain continued, “When we allow teams to run like this we always suffer a lot, and today was the case. What lacked was from our side; a bit more concentration, a bit more organisation when we lost the ball to control especially the counters.”

On the club’s hopes for the competition heading into the knockout stage, Bernardo Silva admitted, “We wanted to keep going, we wanted to play a few more games, but now that it’s finished we’re going to rest, we’re going to try to prepare the next season as well as possible, because we need a few weeks.

“The guys inside know we’re improving a lot, we’re starting to feel the team back, the atmosphere in the dressing room, the energy, and even the way we play,” he added.

“I think there’s been some improvements, we’re starting to feel some good energy from the team to go back to our level.”

Manchester City will now take on a number of weeks rest before resuming first-team training and gearing up for the start of the brand new 2025/26, with Bernardo Silva asked on what he and his teammates are aiming for across competitions.

“Hopefully try to fight again for titles – that’s the aim, that’s the ambition of this Club always since I arrived. We’re going to work a lot to get better in some things and improve, to be able to fight for titles. That’s our main goal!”

Manchester City are now expected to have around a month away from the game and from training ground duties, before recommencing work at the City Football Academy shortly before August in the lead up to their Premier League opener against Wolves.

Pep Guardiola’s side will travel to Molineux on the opening weekend of the campaign with an evening kick-off against Vitor Pereira’s side, in what will also mark the first reunion between Wolves and Rayan Ait-Nouri – who joined Manchester City earlier this summer.