Manchester City and Bayern Munich (3-0) provided an eye-catching pot of football in the quarterfinals of the Champions League on Tuesday evening. Afterwards, however, there were also skepticism, especially about the performance of referee Jesús Gil Manzano. In the eyes of many, the Spaniard should have given a red card to Bernardo Silva. The attacking midfielder made a hard tackle on Jamal Musiala shortly after the break, but got off with a yellow card.
The duel between City and Bayern was just two minutes into the second half, when the visitors seemed through through Musiala. The top talent was about to cross the enemy centerline when he was foully laid down from behind by Silva. Manzano, however, was quite decisive and ended the moment with a yellow card. The decision of the Spanish arbitrator caused, among other things, in the studio of RTL for surprised reactions.
????????, Bernardo Silva.. ?? The Portuguese tackles from behind, but is lucky he doesn’t hit Musiala! ??#ZiggoSport #UCL #MCIFCB pic.twitter.com/g5vUKNwAD6
— Ziggo Sport Football (@ZS_Voetbal) April 11, 2023
“There are a lot of referees who just give a red card for this, he got away well,” says Hedwiges Maduro. “The ball is gone and he comes with a high tackle on the calf. I would say: red card. Because he is allowed to stand, he scores and even decides the match.” Ron Vlaar would also have liked to see a different color card. “How he puts in the tackle, that’s just red. Done.”
Silva’s action has not gone undiscussed in the German media either. “A scandalous foul. It is a mystery why a yellow card is enough here. Bayern had the opportunity to create a surplus situation, in which Silva has no intention of playing the ball for a moment,” is the verdict of Kicker. Also BILD calls it “inexplicable.” “Maybe Bayern would have had a chance for a result with the dismissal of Silva. Now Tuchel’s team was wiped out. The pressure on the club management is increasing.”
Because Silva was spared by Manzano, he was given the opportunity to showcase his class in the remainder of the Champions League squatter. On a pass from Erling Braut Haaland, the tastemaker headed the 2-0 against the ropes twenty minutes before the end. Moments before, he already got the people at the Etihad Stadium on the benches with an unparalleled individual action. Silva outsmarted Alphonso Davies and Leon Goretzka and handed out multiple pannas.
???????????????? in the early morning! ???? Bernardo Silva never gives up and only throws one for a change ???????????????????? panna out.. ?#ZiggoSport #UCL #MCIFCB pic.twitter.com/V5LiVaC4m0
— Ziggo Sport Football (@ZS_Voetbal) April 12, 2023
Silva is one of the most extraordinary footballers in the modern elite game The Guardian praise. “Haaland will make headlines as he provided an assist and scored, but Silva was masterful. From minute one, Davies vs. Silva’s duel was extremely gripping. A clash between the Portuguese’s shuffling supermind against the elite athleticism of the left back. Silva provided a complete one-man guide to top-level football.”