Signed last summer by Club Atlético de Madrid after one successful season with SC Braga, which brought him international honours with Portugal and a runners-up medal in the UEFA Europa League, Sílvio is an industrious full-back who likes to break forward at every opportunity.

• Started his career in the youth set-up at SL Benfica but did not graduate to senior status at the club, instead making his professional debut in Portugal's lower leagues with Atlético Cacém and Odivelas FC.

• Joined top-flight Rio Ave FC in 2008 and made his Liga bow against Benfica on 24 August 2008; appeared in 45 Liga matches in two seasons for the northern outfit but failed to score.

• Left for Braga in summer 2010, making his debut as a half-time substitute in the first leg of the UEFA Champions League play-off against Sevilla FC.

• Played every minute of the Arsenalistas' run to the 2011 UEFA Europa League final (round of 32 onwards) after they dropped into the competition from the UEFA Champions League.

• Scored on his Liga debut for Braga – in a 1-0 home win against CS Marítimo on 29 August 2010 − and earned his first cap for Portugal nine days later in a UEFA EURO 2012 qualifier against Norway in Oslo.

• A bit-part player for Atlético in 2011/12, he missed the last two months of the season, and the build-up to the UEFA European Championship, after undergoing surgery to resolve a troublesome knee injury

UEFA honours
UEFA Europa League: runner-up 2011