Manchester City have booked their place in the final of the Champions League after a 4-0 hammering of Real Madrid in the second leg of their semi-final secured a 5-1 aggregate win.

Before City’s 4-0 thrashing of Real Madrid in Wednesday’s semi-final second leg, Erling Haaland and Kevin De Bruyne were expected to demonstrate their immense star power.

In recent weeks, Haaland’s record-setting scoring spree and De Bruyne’s peerless passing have fueled City’s surge towards a remarkable treble.

But it was the understated Silva who stole the show on a night of redemption for a club desperate to rewrite its torturous Champions League past.

The Portugal midfielder scored two clinical goals and displayed a magnificent individual performance as City defeated the Champions League champions 4-0 at the Etihad Stadium.

Just the third player to score two goals in a Champions League semi-final against Real after Lionel Messi and Robert Lewandowski, Silva said: “It is a beautiful night for us. We knew it would be tough but to beat this Real Madrid team 4-0 at home was wonderful.”

Referring to his header that put City two goals up, Silva added: “I am small but good with my head!”

Silva’s masterful performance ensured that City avenged a heartbreaking loss to Real Madrid in last year’s Champions League semi-finals, when Real scored twice in the final moments of the second leg and won in extra time.

Real went on to win the trophy, but City ended their reign in ruthless fashion, putting them within striking distance of their first Champions League title.

On June 10, when City faces Inter Milan in the final in Istanbul, Silva will undoubtedly be at the centre of what Guardiola hopes will be the final leg of City’s treble charge.

Guardiola’s squad can win the Premier League title with a victory against Chelsea on Sunday, or by earning three points in either of their next two contests.

That would be City’s fifth title in six seasons; on June 3, they will also play Manchester United in the FA Cup final.

The Champions League, however, has been City’s holy grail since the 2016 hiring of Guardiola.

Guardiola has twice as a manager won the Champions League with Barcelona, in 2009 and 2011.

Nonetheless, he appeared cursed at times during the competition, as City endured a string of agonising eliminations.

After losing to Chelsea in 2021’s Champions League final, Silva has helped City advance to their second Champions League championship match in franchise history.

The 28-year-old has appeared in all but four of the 52 games he has played in this season, scoring seven goals and contributing seven assists.

Guardiola has such faith in Silva’s tenacity and footballing savvy that he has occasionally used him as a fullback with permission to move into midfield this season.

Silva’s diminutive stature belies a tenacious personality that fuels his non-stop movement from the right wing and ability to shut down the passing lanes of opponents.

In 2013, when Benfica manager Jorge Jesus believed Silva was too small to make it in the professional game, Silva fought to make the team despite being deemed too small by the manager.

“I believe that it doesn’t matter which position you play, in football everyone attacks and everyone defends,” Silva said earlier this season.

“I’ve worked a lot on that in my career, in my academy at Benfica. My managers when I was younger, they demanded a lot from me defensively so I am built this way.”

Silva will have endeared himself to his admirers in Catalonia even more after scoring against their bitter rivals Real, with whom he has been linked to a move to Barcelona on numerous occasions in recent years.

Joan Laporta, president of Barcelona, once claimed he had an agreement to sign Silva that fell through two years prior to his move from Monaco to Manchester City in 2017.

Barca’s loss has been City’s gain, but it appears they will make another offer during the offseason.

Guardiola will be apprehensive about losing Silva after his latest display of inspiration and effort.