He is the radiant light whose midweek -heroes stopped with a gloomy season to become a total disaster.
A rare clear spark in Etihad, while the serial winners of Pep Guardiola are struggling to keep their campaign on an even keel.
And assessed such a striking talent at home that – even in a nation with the will of Vinicius JR and Endrick – many go to him as the standard carrier of the future of Brazil.
Not bad for the lean South American who arrived in Manchester City in the summer as a £ 21 million snip in an era of eye-Providing cost and an almost created by many fans.
But while others were in the dark, Guardiola always knew that Savinho would be a gem. A child tipped for quantity from the day he walked into Atletico Mineiro as a 12-year-old.
His off-the-bank role in saving City's Champions League attack he scored one and made another in the must-win match against Club Brugge-Was a notch on the belt.
Because Savinho has been the headline act at every level since his first steps with Mineiro, who immediately realized that they had a uncut diamond on their hands.
That makes it even more surprising to learn, just two years after his football training, he was once left to rot on the couch by a coach who could not see what all the fuss was about.
Savinho was only 14 and the top brass of Mineiro was petrified so that their invaluable jewel can slip through the net that the responsible man had to go. Immediately.
Leaving him away was the footballquivalent of rejecting the Beatles – and even now the man who brought him to the club shakes his head unbelieving.
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Joao Paulo Alves de Paula was Savinho's first coach at Mineiro and they are still so close that he stays with the city star when he comes to visit.
Joaozinho, as he is known, remembers that a stunning first sight of the boy and the same surprise when he couldn't get a game.
He revealed: “Savio was in a group of 20 children and the only ones we chose. He was only 12, a year younger than the others, but overwhelming the best.
“At the time, Atletico Mineiro did not have under-12s, so he was against older children from the start. And he was above everyone.
“When I saw him on Tasting Day, I almost fell over. His technical skills and dribbling were extraordinary for a child of that age. I was so excited to see him with the ball at his feet.
“In the next three years he took huge steps, made decisions in seconds and ended up like an adult – all with boundless trust and a smile.
“But it wasn't all a walk through the red carpet, because when Savio moved to the Onder-14s, the coach just didn't like him.
“He kept leaving him on the couch. He hardly played and when he did, it was left. My hair got up.
Coach 'Snubbed' Savinho
“Savio can play on both sides, but he is a winger. I couldn't believe what the coach did.
“That mistake, that lack of judgment, could have cost Savinho his football career and seriously damaged the club.
“So, with such crazy things and wrong decisions, the coach was fired and I took over the Onder-14s. The smile was back on Savio's face. “
And that smile has rarely been off the face of the Brazilian since.
Former Argentina boss Jorge Sampaoli gave him a debut at the age of 16 and within two years the Stadsvoetbalgroep had signed him.
He was initially placed with Troyes, but after loans from PSV Eindhoven and Girona, Savinho moved to the Etihad in a deal worth £ 33.6 million in July last year.
Brazil debut vs England
A debut in Brazil came against England in March, ten caps were followed and at Christmas he had a leading role – including a goal of the first city – to get the champions back on track.
Then, with their Euro-Hoop on the line while Bruges gave a quiet lead, Pep turned to Savinho to save the day and was rewarded with a second half of the rescue act.
Even Guardiola, not given for choosing players, emphasized his Brazilian star – and Joaozinho thinks he will be even better under the Spaniard.
He added: “If he has no serious injury, Brazil becomes world champions with Savio in the team.
“The team will be due to major changes and Savio will be their leader, no doubt.
“He is in good hands with Guardiola as his coach and I am sure that he will be a huge star of both the Premier League and Brazil.”
Savinho also believes that he will flourish under Guardiola.
He said: “I scored many goals at Girona, they demanded a lot from me. Pep is also very demanding here.
“I worked on my finish. As an attacker I can't just expect our striker to score all the goals. “
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