Yaya Toure was denied the chance to spend time with his dying brother in hospital because Manchester City would not give him time off from the club’s post-season celebration tour to Abu Dhabi, the Ivory Coast midfielder has claimed.
Ibrahim, Yaya’s younger brother, had been battling cancer and was being treated at specialist hospital The Christie in Manchester, where he died last Friday.
Both Yaya, and his other brother Kolo Toure, decided to remain at the World Cup in Brazil rather than return to England after the death. But Yaya says he had already tried to spend time with Ibrahim after the end of the Premier League season, only to be refused leave from the tour to Abu Dhabi to celebrate the club’s title win.
Writing in France Football, Yaya said: “At the end of the season, I wanted to stay for four or five days with my brother before I flew to prepare for the World Cup with Ivory Coast, except that City did not want to grant me a few days.
“I went to celebrate the title championship in Abu Dhabi while my brother was lying in his sickbed. By fortune, Kolo was at his bedside. After that I blame myself for not insisting and for not making them respect me.
“However, club officials knew very well that I was suffering for a few months as the health of my brother declined. This is the reason I had several injuries at the end of the season, because my head had taken control of my body.
“These last four months have probably been the hardest in my life.”
Manchester City have declined to comment on Toure’s remarks, but it is believed the club have always granted compassionate leave requests in the past.
Carlos Tevez, the former City striker, was given permission to fly back to Argentina when his daughter was born prematurely, while Pablo Zabaleta was given time off two seasons ago when his father was seriously injured in a road accident.
The latest disagreement between the club and player comes after a bizarre episode at the end of the season when Yaya’s agent said the midfielder was threatening to force a move from the Etihad Stadium after being upset by the club’s failure to mark his 31st birthday sufficiently.
Dmitry Seluk said: “Yaya is so upset, he is thinking of leaving City. There are a number of things that have happened that have left Yaya feeling bitterly upset. City have treated him with disrespect and have really hurt him.
“What happened at his birthday meant the club don’t care about him. It was proof. They can say whatever they want, ‘Oh we like him, but we forgot.’ None of them shook his hand on his birthday. It’s really sick.
“The club’s owners ate a 100kg cake after winning the Premier League this season, but when they and the players were all together, none of them shook his hand on his birthday. It shows they don’t care about him. They don’t know that money can’t buy relationships – no Sheikh can buy a relationship.”
Yaya then tweeted support for his agent, saying: “Everything Dimitry said is true. He speaks for me. I will give an interview after world cup to explain.”
Source: The Telegraph
