"Yaya Toure Curse is Back": Fans Explain What Will Stop Man City From Winning the Champions League

• Manchester City edged out Bayern Munich to reach the Champions League last four
• Pep Guardiola is the first manager to reach 10 semi-finals of the European tourney
• However, football fans believe the Yaya Toure 'Man City curse' will strike once again

Manchester City manager, Pep Guardiola will be hoping that 2023 is the year in which he can break the reported ‘curse’ placed on him by Yaya Toure.

Guardiola, 52, has never won the Champions League since he took over at the helms of the Etihad Stadium in 2016, though he can have no excuses this time around considering the form of striker, Erling Haaland.

The Citizens are set to lock horns against defending champions, Real Madrid next month in the semi-finals, having ousted Bayern Munich in the Round of 8.

Haaland's second-half strike secured a 1-1 draw and a 4-1 aggregate quarter-finals victory over the Bavarians on Wednesday, per Sky Sports.

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Despite their dominance in the Premier League, Guardiola and his charges are still yet to lift the Champions League, having lost in the final once and been eliminated in two semi-finals - most recently in dramatic circumstances against Real Madrid last season.

This may not come as a surprise to the agent of Toure, Dimitri Seluk.

According to the Russian, African shamans would prevent Guardiola from winning the competition due to how Guardiola had treated Toure, Sport Bible reported.

"He has set all of Africa against him, many African fans have turned away from Manchester City. And I am sure that many African shamans will not let Guardiola win the Champions League in future. It will be like an African curse on Guardiola. Time will tell if I am right or not."

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Will 'Toure curse' strike again?

After City's qualification to the semi-finals was confirmed at the Allianz Arena on Wednesday, fans on social media suggested Yaya Toure curse would strike again this season.

@Mawunya_ tweeted:

"Yaya Toure says African gods are not to blame. Can Pep Guardiola win Champions league trophy? Nope"

@Haulephil tweeted:

"Yaya toure curse is still in the veins bruh city will never win the UCL"

@EtornamSmith wrote:

"Yaya Tourè is back to work, blud is finding solutions that will stop Pep and his boys from winning the UCL Good luck idolo"

@DanielBayuo1 said:

"Man City? Here is where Yaya Toure comes in."

@jnr_bhourquaye wrote:

"BREAKING: Yaya Toure was spotted in the early hours of the day in his hometown Buoaké. It’s believed he went there to visit a local shrine."

@pillingo_ said:

"Pep has to put his ego away and reach out to Yaya Toure asap. We all know how City’s campaign will end"

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Pep makes honest UCL admission

Meanwhile, Guardiola has called Real Madrid the team to beat if Man City stands a chance of winning their first-ever UEFA Champions League trophy, Sports Brief reported.

The Citizens will face Los Blancos in the UCL semi-finals for a second consecutive season after easily dispatching Bayern Munich 4-1 on aggregate in the Round of Eightlast eight.

When Guardiola met Sane

Sports Brief also reported on Guardiola's heartwarming conversation with Bayern winger, Leroy Sane after guiding his side to the Champions League semi-final on Wednesday evening.

The Spaniard outfoxed Thomas Tuchel in the tactical battle involving two modern rival coaches as the Citizens punched their ticket to the last four on aggregate over the Bavarians.

After Man City had successfully completed their UCL assignment at the Allianz Arena, Guardiola chatted to Sane, whom he coached at the Premier League club from 2016 to 2020.