Pellegrini insists Yaya Toure is happy at Manchester City

Yaya Toure recently gave a troubling interview to French newspaper L'Equipe detailing the various reasons why he is unhappy despite his achievements in football.

Related: Yaya Toure says he has 'suffered for years' in football

Manuel Pellegrini was inevitably quizzed about the Ivorian's morale at Manchester City, and his manager was quick to stress that the midfielder is happy at the North West club.

"Yaya is happy," Pellegrini told reporters ahead of Wednesday's Champions League visit of Sevilla. "He may have a few concerns about the criticism but that is different to being unhappy at the club. You can interpret his words how you want but I don't think I have to answer for how happy Yaya is at Manchester City.

"The answer is his performances over the last four years he plays. He is a very important player and he demonstrates it every game."

Toure, the former Barcelona man, is among a trio of City stars nominated for the prestigious Ballon d'Or, and the Chilean manager supported the cause for either Kevin De Bruyne or Sergio Aguero to pick up the award.

"Kevin made a very good season last year in Germany (with Wolfsburg)," Pellegrini said. "We hope he can win it, along with Sergio, but Sergio is now out for a month."

Pellegrini also expressed his surprise that Aguero hasn't picked up an individual awards as he enters his fifth season in Eastlands, but understands that the standard is very high.

"I don't think it is surprising Kun has been nominated," Pellegrini said. "If anything is surprising it is that he has not had any awards here in the past, though of course we realise he has a lot of competition in (Lionel) Messi and (Cristiano) Ronaldo."

City host Sevilla looking to better what has been a poor Champions League home record of late: Under Pellegrini, the side has managed just three wins in nine attempts.