Toure 'stopped from seeing ill brother'

Yaya Toure has criticised Manchester City, claiming they refused to allow him to spend time with his dying brother.

- Yaya Toure backed by coach Lamouchi

Ibrahim Toure passed away at the age of 28 on Thursday while his two older brothers, Yaya and Liverpool defender Kolo, were in Brazil as members of Ivory Coast's World Cup squad.

But the midfielder said he was unhappy that City had made him go on a post-season tour to the United Arab Emirates rather than allowing him to remain in Manchester with his family.

He told France Football: "I confess that I am still very sad. I'm suffering because I feel I have done nothing useful for him the last few weeks.

"At the end of the season, I wanted to stay for four or five days with my brother before I flew to prepare for the World Cup with Ivory Coast, except that City did not want to give me a few days.

"I went to celebrate the title championship in Abu Dhabi while my brother was in his sickbed. By fortune, Kolo was at his bedside. After that, I blame myself for not insisting and for not leading them to respect me.

"However, club officials knew that I had been suffering for a few months seeing the health of my brother decline. This is the reason I had several injuries at the end of the season, because my head had taken control of my body. These last four months have probably been the hardest in my life.

"I have had sporting success -- except that when you get home and you find yourself facing the distress of someone you love, but you do not know how you can help, it's not good."

Toure said he considered coming home from the World Cup to see Ibrahim, who was also a professional footballer, but that their father had advised him to stay in Brazil.

He added: "Doctors had left me with very little hope when I had left for the World Cup. During those days, he could not even respond to my calls as he was so tired.

"I also felt that brother Ismael and my sister Aicha, who had stayed with him in Manchester, were not telling me everything the last few days. Despite that, in these cases we always try and hold on to a miracle.

"The news came as a huge shock because I was very close to him. We spent two years apart, but we were very close. I know that I will no longer be able to hear him, sense him, see him, this feels awful, especially when you¹re thousands of kilometres away.

"Luckily, I have Kolo with me. More than once, he has played big brother to me, finding the words to comfort me, keep me strong, talk to me.

"At one point, we thought about leaving Brazil for Manchester to see Ibrahim one last time. But our father advised against it, and we listened."

Toure's relationship with City, for whom he has played since 2010, has appeared to worsening since 31-year-old's agent claimed he was unhappy that the Premier League champions had not done enough to celebrate his birthday in Abu Dhabi.

City are adamant that was not the case, and earlier this month Toure's father said the player would stay at the Etihad.