Pep handed two-match touchline ban

ZURICH: Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola will start the English champions’ quest for a first Champions League title from the stands next season after being hit with a two-game touchline ban by Uefa on Monday.

Liverpool were also fined €20,000 (approximately 746,468 baht) by Uefa for the damage caused to City’s team bus on their arrival at Anfield for the first leg of a bad-tempered Champions League quarterfinal between the sides as windows of the vehicle were shattered by bottles and cans thrown by supporters. The second match of Guardiola’s ban, though, is suspended for a probationary period of one season.

The Catalan coach was sent off for furiously protesting after City were wrongly denied a second goal in the second leg with the tie still in the balance.

City were leading 1-0 on the night after a 3-0 first-leg defeat when Leroy Sane was flagged offside despite the ball towards the German winger coming off Liverpool’s James Milner.

With Guardiola sent to the stands by Spanish referee Antonio Mateu Lahoz for the second half, City went on to lose 2-1 on the night and 5-1 on aggregate.

Liverpool were also fined a further €9,000 for the setting off of fireworks in the second leg with City and the second leg of their semi-final at Roma.

Meanwhile, midfielder Yaya Toure has accused Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola of having “problems with Africans” in an interview published yesterday by France Football magazine.

“He insists he has no problems with black players, because he is too intelligent to be caught out,” Toure said. “But when you realise that he has problems with Africans, wherever he goes, I ask myself questions.

“I’m not the first to talk of these differences in treatment. At Barcelona I know that some also asked questions.”

“Last summer, when Pep brutally got rid of [Wilfried] Bony, who had been signed a year earlier for a huge sum, I asked questions.”

The 35-year-old Ivorian played just 17 matches this season for City, who romped to the Premier League title, and he confessed to wondering if his limited playing time “was not because of my colour.”

“I think I was dealing with someone who just wanted to take revenge on me, who was jealous of me, who took me for his rival. I felt humiliated,” said Toure, who is leaving City.