Yaya Toure admits Barcelona affection

Manchester City midfielder Yaya Toure has admitted that he will experience mixed emotions on returning to Barcelona as an opposition player next month.

Toure returns to Catalunya with the Sky Blues for City's second-leg last-16 clash with the European giants in the Champions League, with the first leg to be played in Manchester on Tuesday.

The 30-year-old enjoyed a three-year spell at Camp Nou, winning Europe's elite competition in 2009 and two Primera Division titles before sealing a move to Eastlands in 2010.

He told UEFA.com: "It's difficult because I don't really want to play Barcelona. It's a club I have a lot of respect for, a club which taught me a lot and where I have many friends who helped me.

"I will play against these guys at the Camp Nou. It's the stadium where I always wanted to play and now I'll be coming back wearing a different shirt.

"I didn't want to play in front of the fans who gave me so much love and respected me but that's football."

Next week's encounter at the Etihad Stadium is scheduled to kick off at 7.45pm.