Portuguese star Bernardo Silva, captain of Manchester City, confirmed that his team is going through a transitional phase this season, ahead of the anticipated second-leg match against Real Madrid in the Champions League round of 16, scheduled for tomorrow, Tuesday, at the Etihad Stadium. Silva pointed out the difficulty of the task for City after losing the first leg 3-0, emphasizing the importance of delivering an outstanding performance to win by more than three goals to revive their hopes of qualifying.

Bernardo Silva said during the press conference: "We have done it before, whether we win or lose, the coach does it when he sees it as the best for the team. For us, it's good to clear our minds and be ready for the match."

He added about the importance of registering early: "The sooner, the better, but it doesn't matter when it happens. We know that in football and on our home ground, we are very capable of creating many opportunities. We have to defend well; we cannot concede any goals because that would end our journey in this stage."

Regarding the transition phase in the team, Bernardo explained: "It's a transitional final match. After winning the Champions League and the departure of four or five players, there are a lot of changes. It's difficult; the players need to get to know each other and blend in. I don't know the optimal solution, and no one knows it. Having such a large number of new players in a short period doesn't help."

He added: "I have been here for many years, and I achieved that with players I knew well and understood each player's needs. We need time to adapt. I'm not making excuses because I know we could have performed much better."

The City captain touched on the lessons learned from the first-leg loss: "I won't say we were at a disadvantage just because they scored three goals against us, that's not true. I was very frustrated after the match, but when I watched it, I found no justification for losing 3-0. It doesn't mean anything. Emotions dominate football, and everything sometimes seems bleak, but the performance wasn't bad."

Regarding his message to the players before the match, Bernardo said: "The small details make the difference in such games. If the ball that Courtois saved had gone in, the match would have been different. We must trust that our defenders will stop everything."

He added: "I don't rely much on luck; details are very important. This is a different tournament from the league, anything can happen, and we must be mentally prepared."

Bernardo concluded his remarks by emphasizing the importance of creating a positive atmosphere against Real Madrid: "We need to score early, the sooner the better, but anything can happen. Don't lose your composure and try to foster an atmosphere of confidence and optimism. Real Madrid is a strong opponent, but we will do our utmost and strive for a historic comeback."