Manchester City midfielder Bernardo Silva has compared their shock exit from the Club World Cup to being knocked out of the UEFA Champions League, as the Premier League champions now face a tight 46-day window to address several recurring issues before the start of the new domestic season.

City’s hopes of ending the 2024–25 campaign with silverware came to a crashing halt in the United States, where they suffered a dramatic 4–3 defeat to Al-Hilal – a result widely regarded as the most significant in the Saudi club’s history. With the Club World Cup their final opportunity to salvage a trophy, City’s captain Silva delivered a brutally honest reflection on their vulnerabilities.

Speaking after the match, Silva admitted the side were once again “too open defensively” and suggested City’s long-standing weakness against counterattacking teams remains unresolved.

“We didn’t control the offensive transitions as well as we should have,” said Silva. “They punished us. Most teams that beat us play this way – sitting deep, defending well, then hitting us on the break. We’ve played against teams like this for eight or nine years, and today, again, we didn’t manage it.”

Troubling Signs for Guardiola Ahead of New Season
The result also casts a shadow over Pep Guardiola’s preparations for the 2025–26 campaign. Despite nearly £300 million spent on signings this year and a strong showing in the early stages of the Club World Cup – including a dominant win over Juventus – the loss to Al-Hilal reopens questions over the team’s balance and defensive structure.

To make matters worse, City missed out on the Club World Cup's £97 million prize money and now return to Manchester on a deflating note.

Silva also revealed that players are still awaiting clarification on their schedule and how much rest they’ll receive before their Premier League opener against Wolves on Saturday, 16 August.

“It does feel a bit like going out of the Champions League, yes,” Silva said. “No one wanted to lose. We’re used to not having holidays, unfortunately, because of how crazy the schedule is. But we took this competition seriously and had a lot of ambition to win it.”

Squad Instability and Defensive Gaps
There are also growing concerns over squad continuity. Rodri, still recovering from injury, made a brief substitute appearance before being withdrawn again due to a setback. İlkay Gündoğan appears likely to leave, while Kyle Walker and Jack Grealish are both reportedly available for transfer.

Rúben Dias endured a difficult outing, and with Walker no longer a regular and lacking his former pace, City look short of a defender capable of recovering ground in their high line.

Silva acknowledged that Al-Hilal’s approach exploited City’s frailties perfectly. “There was always a feeling of danger when they recovered the ball,” he said. “We allowed them to run way too many times.”

Despite scoring three goals, City’s wastefulness in front of goal also played a part in their downfall. “We could have scored five or six,” Silva reflected. “But that doesn’t change the fact we didn’t control the game the way we needed to.”

Eyes Now on Premier League Redemption
Although the Club World Cup defeat marks a bitter end to a trophyless season, Silva insisted the squad would bounce back with renewed focus.

“I’ve had many disappointments and many great moments in my career,” he said. “In one month, when the Premier League starts, we’ll forget this and focus on having a great season.

“We’ve had frustrations in the past and managed to come back. We’ll try to do that again. There’s a lot of competition, but we’re going to work very hard.”