Sports

Toure says Guardiola has problem with African players

Published

6 years ago

June 4, 2018

Midfielder Yaya Toure accused Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola of having “ problems with Africans ” in an interview to be published on Tuesday by France Football magazine .“ He insists he has no problems with black players , because he is too intelligent to be caught out , ” Toure said . “ But when you realise that he has problems with Africans , wherever he goes , I ask myself questions . ”

The 35 – year -old Ivorian played just 17 matches this season for City, who romped to the Premier League title , and he confessed to wondering if his limited playing time “ was not because of my colour . ”

“ I think I was dealing with someone who just wanted to take revenge on me , who was jealous of me , who took me for his rival . I felt humiliated , ” said Toure , who is leaving City at the end of June .

Toure joined City after three seasons at Barcelona where he had fallen out of favour after Guardiola took over as manager .

“ There had already been some tensions, ” said Toure , who added that he was now taking responsibility for “ being the one who smashed the myth of Guardiola . ”

Toure played 319 matches over eight seasons with the Sky Blues and won the Premier League three times and the FA Cup once but , he complained, Guardiola had prevented him enjoying the sort of farewell fanfare that Andres Iniesta received this season at Barcelona and Gianluigi Buffon did at Juventus .

“ He stole my farewells with City. I would have liked to leave this club with emotion , as Iniesta and Buffon were able to do. But Pep stopped me . ”

( AFP )