‘I see a snake’ – Yaya Toure claims Pep Guardiola treated him ‘like dirt’ as bitter feud continues

The feud between Toure and Guardiola stretches back to 2008, when Guardiola was appointed Barcelona manager and swiftly reshaped the midfield hierarchy. Toure was displaced by a young Busquets, whose ability to control possession more fluidly suited Guardiola’s tactical ideology, and the Ivorian struggled with the abrupt reduction in responsibility. This foundational rift set the stage for long-term resentment, with Toure feeling undervalued despite performing well when selected.

The conflict escalated significantly during Guardiola’s tenure at Manchester City, where Toure initially served as a club legend and central figure. Guardiola’s decision to exclude him from the Champions League squad, combined with his agent Dimitri Seluk’s fiery public criticisms, created a cycle of tension that even apologies could not fully repair. Although Toure was reintegrated temporarily, his role continued to diminish, reinforcing the belief that the manager no longer wanted him.

After leaving City, Toure intensified the dispute by hinting at deeper motivations behind Guardiola’s choices, claiming patterns of unfair treatment toward African players, accusations Guardiola has firmly denied.