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Yaya Toure Accuses Pep Guardiola of Racism, Says He Doesn't Like African Players

Gianni Verschueren@ReverschPassX.com LogoFeatured ColumnistJune 4, 2018

LONDON, ENGLAND - APRIL 14: Yaya Toure of Manchester City and Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola and Ilkay Gundogan of Manchester City during the Premier League match between Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester City at Wembley Stadium on April 14, 2018 in London, England. (Photo by Matthew Ashton - AMA/Getty Images)
Matthew Ashton - AMA/Getty Images

Yaya Toure has given an explosive interview to France Football, accusing Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola of racism and being jealous of the Ivorian. He also said he wants to "destroy the Pep myth."

The full interview will be released Tuesday, but France Football released a preview Monday. Football writer Matt Spiro shared several quotes on Twitter:

Matt Spiro @mattspiro

Yaya couldn't understand why Pep didn't play him last season even though his stats, he says, were better than others. 'It feels like he was jealous of me, he saw me as a rival... as if I was taking the limelight away from him' #MCFC

Matt Spiro @mattspiro

Yaya Toure: 'Maybe us Africans aren't always treated the same by certain people. When you see the problems he (Pep) has often had with African players, everywhere he has been, I ask myself questions.'

Matt Spiro @mattspiro

Yaya on Pep: 'He's too intelligent to be caught. He'll never admit it (not liking Africans). But the day he picks a team with five Africans in, I promise I will send him a cake!' (France Football)

Toure left Manchester City at the end of the 2017-18 campaign with his contract running out. The 35-year-old also worked under Guardiola at Barcelona before leaving for City in 2010.

He never made a secret of his poor relationship with Guardiola, and there were several high-profile incidents between the two. In 2016, Guardiola told reporters the veteran would be benched until his agent apologised for comments he made about the tactician, per BBC Sport.

They found a way to make things work, however, and while Toure wasn't an automatic starter under Guardiola, his contributions did not go unnoticed. Just last month, the Spaniard heaped praise on Toure ahead of his final home match for the club, as reported by Goal's Matt Dorman:

"It's a big occasion. We will try to play for him and win for him.

"What makes clubs greater and bigger are the players and Yaya Toure is one of them. He's an extraordinary person, he's beloved in the dressing room, he doesn't feel pressure.

"We will not judge Yaya on this season. He is the only guy last season who finished his contract who we extended because I thought he could help us."

Toure clearly didn't leave the club feeling the same way, however.

Sportswriter Simon Bajkowski is already looking forward to the full interview:

Simon Bajkowski @spbajko

Can't wait for the full interview when Toure reveals how Guardiola faked the moon landings and shot JFK

Per Sport Witness' Tom Coast, Toure hinted at a possible move to Marseille this summer in the same interview.