Toure axed from City's Champions League squad

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola once again underlined that Yaya Toures stock has fallen by leaving out the Ivory Coast midfielder from the club's Champions League squad.

Toure has only featured once this season, in City's 1-0 win over Steaua Bucharest in the Champions League knockout round second leg. That game was virtually a dead rubber as City led 5-0 from the opening leg, according to the BBC.

This is the only time Toure has featured in a match-day squad this term, as he has been left out of the other four by the manager.

Leroy Sane and Ilkay Gündogan, two midfielders bought this summer but who have yet to feature due to injury, have been included in the Champions League squad.

Toure's exclusion is a further signal his City career may be nearing its close, just as Joe Hart's loan move to Torino after being dropped by Guardiola seems to have ended the goalkeeper's time at the club. City are in Group C, alongside FC Barcelona, Celtic and Borussia Mönchengladbach. Guardiola's side host the latter club in the stage opener on September 13.

--IANS

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