Manchester City icon Yaya Touré has reignited one of football’s most bitter feuds, sensationally labelling former manager Pep Guardiola a “snake” in a no-holds-barred interview that has sent shockwaves through the Premier League world. The 41-year-old Ivorian, who played a pivotal role in City’s 2012 title triumph, accused Guardiola of treating him “like dirt” during their 2016-2018 stint together, dredging up old wounds from a fallout that saw Touré exiled to the bench before his acrimonious exit. But the real bombshell? Touré revealed his wife’s savage rant about the Catalan tactician, declaring: “I don’t see a man, I see a snake.” The comments, made to The Athletic on December 11, 2025, have reignited debates about Guardiola’s man-management style, with fans divided between those hailing Touré’s “brutal honesty” and others dismissing it as “sour grapes from a has-been.”
The bad blood dates back to 2010, when Guardiola ruthlessly sold Touré to City for £24 million after promoting Sergio Busquets from Barcelona’s B team. Touré thrived in Manchester, scoring 62 goals in 230 appearances and anchoring the midfield during Roberto Mancini’s era, including that iconic 6-1 derby demolition of United. But Guardiola’s 2016 arrival changed everything. The Spaniard, obsessed with tactical precision, sidelined the then-33-year-old Touré, favoring younger legs like Kevin De Bruyne and Ilkay Gündoğan. By November 2016, Touré was frozen out entirely, training alone while his agent Dimitri Seluk waged a public war, accusing Guardiola of “psychological pressure” and “racism” for favoring “white” midfielders. Touré played just 7 minutes that season before a surprise recall in April, scoring twice in a 3-0 win over Southampton—his farewell gesture to a stunned Etihad.
In the interview, Touré didn’t hold back: “Pep treated me like dirt. I was the heart of that City team, but he saw me as disposable. He hides behind tactics, but it’s personal—he destroys people who don’t fit his vision.” He recounted a 2017 meeting where Guardiola allegedly dismissed his plea for more minutes: “Yaya, you’re past it.” Touré’s wife, Rose, stole the show with her unfiltered fury: “I don’t see a man, I see a snake. He used you when you were young and strong, then discarded you like trash.” Rose, a former model, has long been Touré’s fiercest defender, once calling Guardiola “a coward” on Instagram in 2018.
Guardiard’s camp has stayed silent, but history suggests retaliation: he famously fell out with Samir Nasri, Dani Alves, and even Sergio Agüero over loyalty. Touré, now coaching in Saudi Arabia with Al Nassr, insists no regrets: “I won everything with City—titles, respect. Pep took the joy, but not the memories.” Fans are split: #YayaLegend trends with 300k posts praising his “classy takedown,” while #PepGenius counters with “Touré was done by 2016—move on” (200k likes).
The feud underscores Guardiola’s polarizing legacy: 15 major trophies at City since 2016, but a trail of broken relationships. As City chase a fifth straight Premier League title under Slot, Touré’s words sting: “He builds dynasties on the backs of players he discards.” For Yaya, it’s closure—or catharsis. The snake? Still slithering toward history.
