During the official welcoming ceremony for Bernardo Silva at Real Madrid, Florentino Pérez greeted him in the meeting room at the Bernabéu. After the presentation of the Portuguese midfielder, who joined the team of 15-time European champions on Wednesday, Silva stated that playing for Real Madrid is 'not for everyone.'
The 31-year-old player, who moved from Manchester City near the end of his contract this summer, expressed pride in the opportunity to become part of the world's most successful club. Silva told Real Madrid TV that he has visited the Bernabéu several times and noted that the sight of the 15 Champions League titles displayed there is very impressive and a special moment.
He added: 'Playing for a club with 15 Champions League titles is not for everyone, so I am very proud, and now I will give everything for this club.'
It can be assumed that the Portuguese hinted at his former teammate from Manchester City, Rodri, who moved to Barcelona on Tuesday, a rival of Real. The Spanish midfielder had previously been linked with Real Madrid, and the new coach of Los Blancos, José Mourinho, spoke about a conversation with Rodri this summer.
Mourinho told the Spanish show 'El Chiringuito' that he had spoken with Rodri several times, and Real Madrid offered him very favorable terms. The coach admitted that Rodri had doubts, and these doubts raised questions for him as well. He emphasized that Rodri is an exceptional and very professional player, and there is nothing negative about him, but Real Madrid is a club of such a level that players who hesitate cannot join.
Rodri became Barcelona's third major acquisition this summer, following Anthony Gordon from Newcastle and Karim Adeyemi from Borussia Dortmund. Barcelona announced on Tuesday the signing of the captain of the Spanish national team, which won the World Cup, from City. In a statement on its website, the La Liga champions reported that the 30-year-old footballer signed a contract until 2030, concluding one of the longest transfer stories of the summer.
According to reports from Sunday, Barça and Manchester City reached an agreement to transfer the 2024 Ballon d'Or winner for a sum of around 75 million euros.