Both players were said to be doomed when their respective coaches were named as new managers at the beginning with the bulky Ivory Coast midfield turismo Yaya Toure and the Spanish midfielder Juan Mata both falling out with their coaches at previous clubs
.
Yaya has playing time reduced under Pep in Barcelona before being shipped off to Manchester after being unable to displace Sergio Busquets at the base of the Barcelona midfield while Juan Mata after being publicly criticized by Mourinho at Chelsea for his inability to contribute defensively and support fullbacks then later relegated to a long spell on the bench before he was bought by David Moyes.
Fast forward three seasons later both Mourinho and Pep are bosses in Manchester of Yaya Toure and Juan Mata in totally different circumstances.
A humbled Mourinho is sitting 6th on the table with his team fighting to climb higher on the premier league table and once again a Juan Mata goal has saved Jose from total disgrace and still clinging to one of his standing records of not losing any game to Arsene Wenger.
In a triangle of Dimitri Seluk, Pep Guardiola and Yaya Toure there was enough allegations to go around tabloids as Dimitri Seluk accused Pep of being racist and having a vendetta against Yaya for leaving him out of the Manchester City Champions league squad.
Guardiola in response addressed it with journalists and insisted he wouldn’t tolerate such statements and banished Yaya Toure to the reserves.
On the 4th of November Yaya Toure apologized on social media to Manchester City Chiefs and his coach Pep Guardiola
“I wish to apologise – on behalf of myself and those who represent me – to the management team and all those working at the club for the misunderstandings from the past.
“Those statements do not represent my views on the club or the people who work there.
“I have nothing but respect for Manchester City and only wish the best for the football club.
“I am immensely proud to have played a part in the club’s history and want to help City succeed further.
On Saturday it was a fairy tale comeback for Yaya as he started his first game for Man City in the premiership and scored a brace to keep them still much in the title chase and relieve Pep Guardiola against a very spirited Crystal Palace.
Who has the better love story as Yaya’s has just began unfolding? The choice is yours.
