Yaya’s amateur ethos is a real boost for Pep’s Man City

Pep Guardiola admits that Yaya Toure’s infectious love of the game has been a real boost for Manchester City this season.

Toure was on the outside looking in at the start of the season as Guardiola – who also worked with Toure at Barcelona – took charge.

But a long-term injury to Ilkay Gundogan and suspension issues for Fernandinho have brought the Ivorian back into the frame in his seventh season as a Citizen.

And Guardiola is loving having the 33-year-old to call upon to bolster his midfield options.

“I spoke about the quality of Yaya, there is no doubt about that,” he said. “Since I arrived here I said many, many times so I’m delighted about his performance.

(Photo by Lennart Preiss/Bongarts/Getty Images)

“Yaya has a quality that is difficult to find today. He loves football, he loves to play – he’s like an amateur.

“He comes here to enjoy, always wants to train, always wants the ball, always wants to play.  I love that.

“I like to play with guys like him. At the end it becomes a profession and you have to do that but he is like an amateur in those terms.

“He is really fit, the weight is perfect and the situation with Fernandinho and losing a lot of players meant he was so important for his personality and he helps us with his buildup and so on.”