Yaya Toure has distanced himself from talks about his former agent placing a curse on Manchester City to prevent the club from lifting the Champions League.
The former Manchester City star spoke out after his former agent Dimitry Seluk said that a curse that had been placed on manager Pep Guardiola had been lifted.
‘I want to apologise for this matter,’ the Ukrainian agent said. ‘I think it is time for this bitterness to stop – and I know that Yaya feels the same because he wishes nothing but success for City.
‘I can say that the spell has now been lifted by the shamans – and that I think City will win the Champions League under Pep.
‘They have a good chance of winning it this year. But whatever happens they will definitely win it in the next three years.’
Taking to Twitter, Toure distanced himself from ex-manager and slammed the ‘lazy stereotypes about African curses.’
He wrote on Twitter: “My former agent is being quoted by the media about a ‘curse’.
“Please don’t associate me with this nonsense and lazy stereotypes about African curses!?
“Media… move on please. This man does not represent me in any way. Amplifying these stereotypes can be harmful.”
Seluk fell out with manager Pep Guardiola over his treatment of the Ivorian midfielder and called on shamans to “curse” the Spaniard.
Many believe that the curse has prevented Guardiola, 52, from winning the Champions League and adding to the two he had previously won with Barcelona.
Seluk is said to have tried to nobble City in 2018 and the club are still waiting to win that elusive European crown, despite largely dominating English football.
The closest City have come to breaking the curse was in 2021 when they reached the final, only to be beaten by Premier League rivals Chelsea.