Image source, Getty Images

It was notable that when faced with Bernardo Silva’s assertion that the prospect of completing a historic double Treble was both “an inspiration and a motivation”, Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola chose to step back from such conversations.

Guardiola has to sit in front of groups of media four times a week, virtually every week.

He knows we like to talk of the potential of historic achievements long before they have even become close to reality.

He also knows we can easily be asking what has gone wrong if a match or two are lost.

Silva does not have to do that. If City lose to Real Madrid on Wednesday, he can choose whether he wants to speak to the media or not. It gives him more freedom to talk from the heart.

I am sure the prospect of creating history – an unprecedented four Premier League titles in a row and becoming only the second team after Real themselves in the Champions League era to win the tournament in successive seasons – is something that gets a mention from time to time in the City dressing room.

But there is peril in talking about it for Guardiola.

“The first time I thought about the Treble was after we beat Manchester United,” he said about last season and City’s FA Cup final victory over their neighbours.

I am not sure that is correct. But it was the first time he spoke expansively about it in the media.

I suspect that approach is not about to change.

BBC Sport
has a dedicated Manchester City page packed with news, analysis and fan views –
get it here