I was forced to leave Barcelona: Ivory Coast's Toure

Ivory Coast and Manchester City midfielder Yaya Toure opens up on the circumstances surrounding his move from Spanish giants Barcelona last year

Manchester City midfielder Yaya Toure has revealed that being frozen out by Barcelona's coach Pep Guardiola was the main reason of leaving Camp Nou in 2010.
"I wanted to stay at Barcelona and would have done so if Guardiola had asked me to, but the door to his office was always closed," the 28-year-old player told Ona FM.
"I did not speak to him in my last year there. There was no communication.
"In the end Guardiola spoke to me, but at the start he said nothing. He had no faith in me and did not want me,” the former Monaco player added.
The Ivory Coast star, who spent three years with the Catalan giants, was not thinking of leaving Barcelona, but seeing himself warming the bench as Guradiola lost confidence in him, made Yaya join the Citiziens.
"I wanted to stay but he did not want that. He left me confused. His explanations were puzzling and he did not pay me any attention until I had the offer from City,” the player concluded.
Guardiola has denied the players' claims, stressing that he didn't want the Ivorian to leave the club.
“The doors of my office were always open," Guardiola was quoted as saying by Sky Sports.
"The reality is that he asked Laporta [Barca president Joan], and that he tried to convince him to stay.
"If we pass the City in the Champions League, I will talk to him,” the tactician added.