Barcelona defender Eric Garcia admits he's talked up Bernardo Silva to management.

Garcia left Manchester City last year for Barca, while Bernardo was also expected to make the move.

The defender recalled: "I told Pep (Guardiola) that I had the option to go to Barça and he understood. I was leaving for free and the contract was over and Bernardo was not.

"I always said when they asked me that for me Bernardo was the best, the most different. The better there are here, the better we will do."

Garcia also said of Gerard Pique, who retired in November: "Piqué is missed. He is a different player and person, we knew he would miss him. The ease of messing around and in three minutes doing a great game and being very focused. He is the only one I see capable of doing this."