Manchester City players believe it is unequal that they are frequently snubbed for UEFA and FIFA individual awards.
The Blues had just Raheem Sterling in the top ten of the UEFA player of the year award – and he finished tenth, behind winner Virgil van Dijk and three more Liverpool players.
And despite cleaning up the three English domestic trophies and setting more records, City also had no representatives in the ten-man shortlist for the FIFA Best Men’s Player award – while Tottenham’s Harry Kane and Chelsea’s Eden Hazard both made the cut.
The Blues midfielder had an outstanding year, also winning the inaugural Euro Nations League with Portugal, and manager Pep Guardiola suggested that no player in the world had a better season than him.
Bernardo, currently on international duty, was asked about the snub to City stars and initially said that “collective titles are always more important than individual titles”.
But he added that the fact that they receive very little recognition – not even winning the PFA Player of the Year trophy despite their domestic dominance – is a topic of conversation in the dressing room
“Inside the camp, we talk about it, and of course we feel it is unfair, but what matters is that we have won four titles and I have even added it to the Euro Nations. Asked if he thought he would ever be in the running for individual awards, Bernardo replied: “I can guarantee that I’ll work every day. Last season was fantastic and this season I want to be better. I want to be one of the best in the world.”bernado Silva – manchestereveningnews.co.uk
