Man City boss Pep Guardiola was ‘killing’ Yaya Toure’s career, says Emmanuel Eboue
Ex-Arsenal star claims the Etihad boss never liked his Ivory Coast pal as a player - going all the way back to Barcelona
PEP GUARDIOLA has been accused of killing Yaya Toure's career and NEVER liking the Manchester City legend.
Toure's former Ivory Coast team-mate Emmanuel Eboue says the midfielder, 35, had no choice but to quit his Etihad "hell".
Three-time Premier League title winner Toure has already alleged Guardiola treated African players differently - but the Spanish chief and City stars denied this.
Now ex-Arsenal right-back Eboue has said: "As a player, there is a time you completely cannot work with a coach and because of your future, you must go.
"It was evident Pep Guardiola did not like my brother Yaya right from the Barcelona days.
"It is the best decision for Yaya to get away from Guardiola's territory because he was killing his career as a footballer.
"I think Yaya's last one year has been hell because he was not playing enough. For a professional footballer that is very terrible."
Toure seemed to be exiting the Etihad in May on a high with their third Premier League crown in his eight-year spell.
But weeks later he rocked football by claiming Guardiola was "jealous"; of him and had a problem with African players, notably at Barcelona.
Guardiola responded robustly, telling Catalan station : ";They were lies and he knows it.
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"We were together for two years and he says it now — he never told me to my face."
But Eboue, 35, who is visiting Uganda to help football academies, has now re-opened the controversy.
He told KweséESPN in Kampala: "Sometimes it's not all about the money.
"When your relationship as a player is not good with the manager and it does not seem like it will improve, it is always better to move elsewhere.
"Yaya is a great player and leader and I think he still has some years to continue playing at the highest level.
"He is the kind of player who can turn things round and he always wants to win."
Meanwhile, Toure has been linked with several Prem clubs after barely playing last term.
And whoever signs him will hope he makes as dramatic an impact on the field as his words did in June.
He told then: "It feels like he was jealous of me, he saw me as a rival... as if I was taking the limelight away from him.
"He was cruel with me. Do you really think he could've been like that with [Andres] Iniesta?
"It got to the point I asked myself if it was because of my colour.
"I'm not the first, other Barca players asked the question too. 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.
"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!"