Ivory Coast midfielder Yaya Toure will not play for Manchester City again until the Premier League club receive an apology for comments made by his agent, manager Pep Guardiola said yesterday.

“He must apologise. If he doesn’t, he won’t play,” Guardiola told reporters.

The 33-year-old player’s agent Dimitri Seluk, who had said Toure felt “humiliated” after being left out of City’s Champions League squad, hit back in similarly uncompromising fashion.

“What do I need to apologise for?,” he asked.

“Guardiola wins a few games and thinks he is a king. I live in Europe so I can say whatever I like and Guardiola can’t stop me.

“I will apologise to Guardiola if he will apologise to (former City manager) Manuel Pellegrini for what he did to him.”

Toure, four-times African Footballer of the Year, has been a mainstay of City’s midfield since joining from Guardiola’s Barcelona in 2010.

He has only played once this season, in the second leg of a Champions League play-off tie against Steaua Bucharest when City had a 5-0 lead from the first game.

“It was difficult to leave him out of the Champions League squad but (the) day after, his (agent) went to the media. (Toure) has not had the courage to call me. From that moment he was out,” Guardiola told reporters.

The pair also clashed at Barcelona, with the player later telling a Spanish radio station that he felt forced out.