Yaya Toure will not be eligible to play in Manchester City's Champions League group games after being left out of Pep Guardiola's squad.

The City boss was forced to drop an overseas players from his squad as UEFA rules permit only 17 players who are not "locally-trained" or "association-trained".

And Toure is the man to miss out after featuring in just one game of City's first five games this season and not being included in the 18-man matchday squad for the other four.

The 33-year-old's only appearance came in the second leg of the Champions League playoff against Steaua Bucharest with City leading 5-0 from the first leg.

City who face Barcelona, Borussia Monchengladbach and Celtic in the group stage were given until 11p.m. BST on Sept. 1 to update their squad.

Guardiola had been forced to leave out five names for the playoff games and Toure beat the cull that time.

Captain Vincent Kompany and Ilkay Gundogan were both missing as they were injured for the two ties but both have now stepped up their recovery and could be available for the opening game against Monchengladbach on Sept. 13.

Eliaquim Mangala, Samir Nasri and Wilfried Bony were also left out but have since left the club on season-long loans.

England keeper Joe Hart qualified as a homegrown player and played in the second leg against Steaua but has also now left to join Torino on loan.

The same problem has occurred at City in the last two seasons. Stevan Jovetic was omitted from the squad in February 2015 after City signed Bony from Swansea City in the January transfer window.

Last season Nigerian striker Kelechi Iheanacho was left out for the group games but was added to the squad in January to replace Samir Nasri after the Frenchman suffered a long-term tendon injury.

Premier League rules are slightly different and Toure will be eligible to play in City's domestic games. Iheanacho and new signing Leroy Sane qualify as under-21 players in England but need to be with the club for two years to have the same eligibility for Europe.

However, Iheanacho's status will change in January freeing up a space if City reach the Champions League knockout stages.

Source:
courtesy of ESPNFC

by Jonathan Smith

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