The story of Yaya Toure and Pep Guardiola is one of the most dramatic and emotional football conflicts ever seen, and when the former Manchester City midfielder came out again to call Pep a snake, it felt like the reopening of a wound that has refused to heal for more than a decade. For many football fans, it was surprising, for others it was expected, because the relationship between the two men has always been like a fire under cold ashes, calm on the surface but waiting for one strike to explode again. When Toure spoke in his new interview, calling Pep a snake, it sent shockwaves across the football world because it reminded everybody of the long and bitter history they shared, a history filled with confusion, betrayal, misunderstanding, and deep emotional scars that have shaped the careers and personalities of both men.
It all started in Barcelona, many years before Manchester City ever came into the picture. Yaya Toure arrived at Barcelona with big dreams. He came with the confidence of a strong African midfielder who believed he could dominate any midfield in the world. He had power, elegance, technique, and the kind of fearlessness that made him stand out. Barcelona saw him as part of their future, but everything changed when Pep Guardiola came into the story. To many people, Guardiola was a young manager trying to build a new era, but to Toure, he slowly became a figure of confusion, someone whose decisions felt personal even when he claimed they were tactical.
Pep wanted Sergio Busquets as his defensive midfielder. He believed Busquets was better for the tiki-taka system, more disciplined, more positional, and more suited to the style he wanted Barcelona to play. But for Toure, this decision felt like disrespect. It felt like rejection. It felt like someone was dimming his light even when he knew he had the quality to shine. He tried to remain patient, he tried to fight for his place, but the writing was already on the wall. Pep preferred Busquets, and nothing was going to change that.
Eventually, Guardiola sold Yaya Toure to Manchester City in 2010. To the outside world, it was a simple football decision, but to Toure, it was emotional. He felt pushed out of a club where he believed he deserved more respect. His wife even warned him back then, telling him that Pep could not be trusted, telling him that the man he was dealing with was not a straightforward person. These words stayed with Toure for years, and when he spoke about them in the new interview, it showed how deeply they affected him.
When Toure left Barcelona and joined Manchester City, his career exploded. He became one of the greatest midfielders the Premier League has ever seen. He scored goals that will never be forgotten, goals that won titles, goals that made fans scream, goals that made defenders panic. He carried Manchester City on his shoulders in some seasons, especially the famous 2013/14 campaign when he scored 20 league goals from midfield. For many people, he was the heart of City, the engine, the warrior who fought with everything.
But just when he expected to enjoy the final part of his City career peacefully, Pep Guardiola arrived in Manchester in 2016, and everything he feared came back. The same man he believed pushed him out of Barcelona was now his manager again, and from that moment, the relationship became complicated once more. At first, it looked like they would try to work together, but it did not take long before the storm returned.
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Pep removed him from the Champions League squad. Toure’s agent at the time, Dimitri Seluk, attacked Guardiola publicly, calling him disrespectful and saying his actions were unfair. Pep responded by saying that Toure would never play again unless Seluk apologized. It became a war of pride, ego, and silent anger. Toure was stuck in the middle of a fight between his manager and his agent, and the whole situation made him feel unwanted again.
Even when Seluk eventually apologized later, the trust was already broken. Toure never returned to being an important player under Guardiola. He rarely played, he barely touched the pitch, and he slowly faded away at City before eventually leaving the club. In 2018, he departed with sadness, frustration, and confusion in his heart. His exit from City was a sharp contrast to his glory days, and deep down, he believed Pep was responsible for the way his career ended at the Etihad.
After leaving City, Toure made a shocking accusation, claiming Guardiola “has problems with Africans.” This comment created a huge storm in the football world. Many people supported Toure, many defended Pep, and some believed Toure was speaking from a place of emotional pain rather than evidence. Later, Toure said he was misquoted, and he even wrote a letter to Pep apologizing for everything, trying to make peace. But even with the apology, something was still burning inside him, something that resurfaced again in the new interview that shocked the world.
In the interview on the ZACK YouTube channel, Toure spoke with fire in his voice. He did not hold back. He did not pretend. He did not speak like someone trying to calm the past. He spoke like someone releasing years of anger bottled up inside him. He said that when he sees Pep, he does not see a man, he sees a snake. Those words carried weight because they came from a man who had experienced hurt. To Toure, Pep represented someone who called him back to Barcelona pretending he wanted him to stay, only for him to turn around and treat him like he was nothing. He said he felt disrespected, undervalued, and used.
He described how his wife played a role in making him realize what was happening. She told him that Pep was wicked, that he could not be trusted, telling him that he was being treated like dirt but was expected to remain loyal. Toure said that even though Pep claimed he wanted him to stay at Barcelona, he refused to play him all season. But when Toure shined at the 2010 World Cup, Pep suddenly wanted him back. That contradiction stayed in Toure’s heart for years.
In the interview, he repeated something that made many fans stop and think. He said that when he remembers those days, he sees tricks, deception, and a man who pretends to be calm but moves in silent ways that feel cunning. That is where the “snake” label came from, and when he said it, it felt like the final chapter in a long and painful story.
But Toure is not the only former player who has had issues with Guardiola. Samuel Eto’o once said Pep did not treat him well at Barcelona, even though he helped the team win trophies. Zlatan Ibrahimovic also had a huge fight with Pep, shouting at him and calling him a coward in his autobiography. Ibrahimovic, known for his confidence and personality, said Pep did not have the courage to respond to him during their fight, describing him as someone who acted peaceful but avoided confrontation.
Their conflict even made the reunion between Pep and Zlatan awkward in 2024 when Manchester City faced AC Milan in pre-season. The handshake looked uncomfortable, the conversation was short, and Pep walked away immediately. Many fans believed it was a sign that those old wounds were still there.
All these stories add weight to Toure’s words. They show that he is not alone in feeling that Guardiola’s personality can be difficult, especially for strong players who expect direct communication. Some people say Pep is a genius manager but struggles with certain big personalities. Others say his decisions are purely football-based and never personal. But for the players who experienced pain under him, the emotions are real and deep.
With Yaya Toure’s new comments, the football world is once again talking about the relationship between great players and great managers. Sometimes, success on the pitch hides emotional battles behind the scenes. Sometimes, the image the world sees is not the same as what the players feel in private. Toure’s words show that football is not just about tactics and trophies, it is also about human emotions, pride, respect, and pain.
As this new chapter of their feud spreads across social media, fans are taking sides once again. Some say Toure is right. Some say he is still bitter. Some say Pep should respond. Others believe he will stay silent as usual. But one thing is certain: this story is far from over. This is a saga that continues to grow with every new interview, every new revelation, and every new reminder of their complicated history. And even though Toure apologized years ago, calling Pep a snake today shows that the past never truly left him. It remained buried in his heart, waiting for the moment to come out again.
In the end, the drama between Yaya Toure and Pep Guardiola has become one of football’s most unforgettable feuds. It is emotional, painful, shocking, and filled with moments that will be discussed forever. And with Toure’s new attack, the fire has been lit again, creating another chapter in a story that refuses to disappear.
