Bernardo Silva insists Pep Guardiola’s absence will NOT affect Man City, as the champions prepare for two matches without their Spanish boss

Bernardo Silva has insisted that anyone hoping Pep Guardiola’s absence from Sheffield United will hurt Manchester City is grasping at straws today.

Guardiola will miss City’s next two games against The Blades and Fulham following back surgery in Spain, with assistant Juanmo Lillo taking over.

City followed up last season’s Treble by winning their opening two league games and winning the European Super Cup this season, and Bernardo expects more of the same, even without their genius technical manager temporarily.

“It will have little impact,” says the Portuguese midfielder who signed a new contract last week The Etihad.

“If we were without him for two or three months, maybe things would be different, but not for two games before the international break.

Guardiola will have to miss the next two games due to back surgery, with Juanma Lillo taking his place

“Some players have been under him for seven years, we know very well what he and the rest of the staff want from us. We proceed in the same way during the preparation.

“Of course they (Guardiola and Lillo) will communicate with each other and we will do our best to play the same way and win these games before our manager returns.”

Bernardo’s new deal ends hopes of longtime Barcelona admirers to get him.

His international teammate Ruben Dias labels him as ‘super intelligent’ due to the ability to play virtually anywhere on the pitch.

Bernardo understands the game and has the confidence to play in completely different positions. Last season he went from right winger to left back at certain times,’ said Dias admiringly.

Ruben Dias praised Silva’s versatility and “super-intelligence” and said few can match him

Silva recently signed a new long-term contract with the Etihad, dampening Barcelona’s hopes of signing him

“I think this is a skill that very few people have in the world of football. He has taken his game to a new level.

“I’m as impressed with this as anyone, it wouldn’t be a bad thing to have that ‘super intelligence’ of the game.”

The two friends have very different personalities, despite working together to help City win four league titles in five years.

‘I’m a lot more relaxed than Ruben’, Bernardo reveals. “He is someone who, in my opinion, sometimes even works too hard.

“Maybe it’s the place where he plays, in his position you can’t relax for a second, a single mistake can lead to a goal that costs you money.

“I play a bit further down the field, where this might happen less often. So this break I can have, you can’t have in his position.’