Yaya Toure reignites Pep Guardiola feud with “snake” comments in new interview | OneFootball

Manchester City icon Yaya Toure appears to have reignited his long-standing feud with manager Pep Guardiola while speaking during a new media appearance.

The former Ivory Coast international has had a complicated relationship with Guardiola dating back to their time together at Barcelona, long before they reunited in Manchester at the Etihad Stadium.

While the pair enjoyed periods of significant success in the Premier League, tensions have resurfaced periodically, often linked to Yaya Toure’s frustrations regarding playing time, or perceived misunderstandings around his role at the club.

Toure has previously questioned Guardiola’s man-management style and claimed that personal relationships rather than performance influenced certain decisions. Despite attempts in recent years to smooth tensions – including public statements expressing regret for past comments and actions – the newest interview has reopened old wounds.

The renewed controversy also comes at a time when Guardiola is preparing for another crucial period in City’s season. While the club is accustomed to absorbing external noise, comments from a figure as influential as Toure inevitably prompt discussion among supporters.

Speaking during a new appearance on Zack en Roue Libre, as translated and relayed by Olt Sports on X, Yaya Toure has revealed a belief within his inner circle that Pep Guardiola was a “snake” and “evil” following treatment in 2010.

“The Barcelona coach [Pep Guardiola] calls me at the time [after the 2010 World Cup] and says, ‘You have to come back, it’s important’,” revealed the former Manchester City midfielder.

He continued, “My wife tells me, ‘You’re really going to listen to that nonsense? He humiliated you, and now he wants you to stay? Are you going to stay? Let’s go to Manchester, my brother.’

“The guy didn’t play me the whole year, and at the end of the year, I shine at the World Cup, and then he brings me to Barcelona. My wife would say, ‘Him? Shaitan. He’s not a man, he’s a snake, he’s evil.’ She sees him as a negative person.”

Given the intensity of Toure’s latest comments, there will be interest in whether Guardiola chooses to respond publicly or opts to avoid the subject altogether, with the Catalan due to face the media next in his pre-Sunderland press conference on Friday afternoon.

Historically, the City boss has been reluctant to comment on personal disputes, often insisting that matters involving former players are in the past.

For supporters, the remarks may reopen debate around what truly happened during the pair’s time together at both Barcelona and the Etihad Stadium, especially as Toure continues to occupy a unique place in the club’s history.