Silva preparing for strange Xmas

(26-12-2010) Manchester City star David Silva says it will be strange to be playing football over the Christmas period. The Spanish World Cup winner joined City from Valencia in the summer for £24m and is accustomed to having time off over the Festive Season where La Liga shuts down. “Barcelona and Real Madrid are going well and have built up quite a lead," said Silva of his former league. “In England it is far more hard fought. You could have any number of teams getting up there near the top. That makes for a more entertaining and enjoyable league." He also acknowledged that he has settled in well in England. "But I owe a lot to my team-mates because they helped make the process a lot quicker.” He added: "The games in England are very competitive. So many sides can make life very hard for you. It’s a real challenge.”