Yaya Touré claims that Pep Guardiola 'does not like African players' | OneFootball

Yaya Touré has sensationally claimed that Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola “does not like” African players.

The Ivory Coast international spent eight years at the Etihad, becoming an integral part of the first team under previous bosses Roberto Mancini and Manuel Pellegrini.

However his playing time became dramatically decreased once the Catalan coach arrived at the club in 2016.

The 35-year-old has since been told he’s allowed to leave and find a new club, and is currently assessing his options for the future.

However, in an interview with France Football that will be published on Tuesday, the midfielder has made claims that the tactician was “cruel” to him during his time at the club.

“I think I was dealing with someone who just wanted revenge on me,” Toure said in an interview with France Football.

“I do not know why but I have the impression that he was jealous of me, that he took me for a rival. There you have it. We always looked at each other weirdly.

“He was spinning around me without saying anything, watching me, gauging me, but not talking to me. Yet he knows that I speak Catalan, Spanish and English. It should be enough to communicate both.

“Every time we passed each other, he seemed embarrassed. As if I made him a little self-conscious. As if, also, he had understood that I knew him perfectly.”

Toure also alleged Guardiola used mind games on his players at City, even going so far as to suggest some of the squad ended up “hating” the boss because of his methods.

“Pep likes to dominate and wants to have obedient players who lick his hands,” Toure said. “I do not like this kind of relationship. I respect my coach but I am not his thing.

“Like all players, I have bickered with my coaches. But at a certain point, men who do not understand each other reconcile. This is not possible with Pep, who is very rigid.

“The other players will never admit it publicly but some have already told me that they ended up hating him. Because he manipulates and plays a lot with your head.”