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

Toure resurfaced his long-standing frustrations with Guardiola, reopening one of football’s most persistent personal rivalries. The former Manchester City midfielder described his ex-manager as a “snake,” accusing him of mistreatment dating back to their tense Barcelona years. Toure also recounted how Guardiola marginalised him again during their reunion at Manchester City, leading to a fractured relationship that never truly healed.

The remarks revisit Guardiola’s decision in 2010 to move Toure out of Barcelona after elevating Sergio Busquets into the starting midfield role. That same dynamic resurfaced in 2016 when Guardiola arrived at the Etihad and again relegated Toure to a bit-part role, triggering a wave of public complaints from the player’s agent. Although Toure enjoyed enormous success at Manchester City, the deterioration of his role under Guardiola ultimately shaped the bitter narrative that continues between them.

The feud has become one of the most notorious manager-player conflicts of the modern era, encompassing tactical disagreements, personality clashes and public accusations. Toure’s fresh comments emphasise how deeply he felt the lack of appreciation from Guardiola, particularly during pivotal stages of his career. While Guardiola has never publicly escalated the feud, Toure’s repeated criticism ensures the story remains unresolved.

Appearing on the ZACK YouTube channel, Toure described Guardiola as a 'snake'. "I don't see a man, I see a snake," he said.

"The Barcelona coach calls me back then and says, 'You have to come back, it's important.' My wife says to me, 'Are you going to listen to that nonsense? He treated you like dirt, and now he wants you to stay, and you're going to stay? Let's go to Manchester, my brother'.

"The guy didn't play me all year, and at the end of the year, I shine at the World Cup (2010), and he brings me to Barcelona. My wife would tell me about him. 'Sheytan, he's not a man, he's wicked.' She sees him as a negative person."

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.

Guardiola is unlikely to respond publicly, consistent with his approach throughout the feud, but Toure’s remarks will inevitably reignite debate around their fractured relationship. The comments come as Guardiola focuses on keeping Manchester City competitive in a title race for the Premier League title that already seems to be in Arsenal's hands.