Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola insisted nothing has changed in his stormy relationship with Yaya Toure although he welcomed the Ivory Coast international’s apology for controversial statements issued by the player’s agent.
The City manager was talking on Friday just hours after Toure issued an apology over his dispute with the Spaniard as he attempted to bring an end to an impasse that has seen him left out of the team since the opening weeks of the season.
Toure’s agent Dimitri Seluk had originally created the problem by criticising Guardiola for his treatment of Toure and other City stars.
But while Guardiola has accepted the apology and Toure is available for selection for the Premier League leaders’ clash with Middlesbrough on Saturday, his hopes of a recall look slim given several in-form players are currently ahead of him in the pecking order at City.
“I spoke with Yaya this morning and of course it is a private conversation so I know what happened, what he said, of course,” said Guardiola at a news conference.
“It’s so important for Manchester City, that’s the most important thing.
“And of course for Yaya, who I appreciate. I have known him for a long time,” said Guardiola, who met Toure when they were both at Barcelona.
“I read what he wrote and that’s all. Of course it’s good news for Manchester City but it’s most important for Yaya as well.
“Yaya was in all our meetings and training sessions. You knew the situation. Nothing changed.”
The relationship between Guardiola, who arrived at City in pre-season, and Toure collapsed after comments from the Ivorian’s controversial agent Seluk which had the City manager demanding an apology before he would consider recalling him to the team.
Seluk accused Guardiola of “humiliating” Toure by leaving him out of the Champions League squad for the current group stage, launching an astonishing personal attack on the manager in the process.
