Kolo: I'll go to war with Yaya if I meet my brother at Wembley

It will be the first time the veteran Liverpool centre-back has faced Manchester City’s Yaya Toure in a major final and there will be no contact between them prior to Sunday’s showdown.

“If we’re both out on that pitch then it’s going to be amazing to play against him in a final,” Kolo told the ECHO.

“I hope to face him. If not, the most important thing is that my team win.

“There will be no fraternising with Yaya before Sunday - no phone calls, no messages, no feeling.

“We are both going to war. We will both want to win and then we will talk after.”

Kolo, who is two years older than the City midfielder, admits their family will be divided.

“Yaya is closer to some, I am closer to others,” he said.

“At the end one of us will come out on top.”

The 34-year-old insists he has had no guarantees that he will start against his former club at Wembley after being left out of the Liverpool side for Thursday night’s hard-fought Europa League win over Augsburg.

Jurgen Klopp opted to play Lucas Leiva at centre-back but Toure is expected to be recalled to face City.

With Dejan Lovren struggling with illness and Martin Skrtel not yet fit, Toure is the obvious choice to partner Mamadou Sakho.

“I don’t know if I was rested but the most important thing is that the team won and we went through,” he said.

“I hope the manager is holding me back for Sunday but we will have to see. I thought Lucas played very well back there. He were very strong defensively.

“Of course you want to play every game but for me the team comes first. If I get to play on Sunday then great, if not I will just wait for the next game.”

It would be Toure’s first appearance at Wembley since he won the 2005 FA Cup final with Arsenal.

“For me it’s going to be amazing,” he said.

“I came here to help this club to win trophies and on Sunday we have the chance to do that.

“It could be my last time at Wembley so I want to make the most of it.

“If I can be on the pitch and help the team it would be very special.

“But even if I’m not on the pitch I will still do my role, which is to push the young players and use my experience by talking to them and inspiring them.”

Toure knows all about the threat City pose having spent four years at the Etihad prior to joining Liverpool on a free transfer in 2013.

The Reds thrashed Manuel Pellegrini’s side 4-1 at the Etihad back in November but the defender believes City will be a different proposition this time.

“To be honest, I don’t think that win gives us an advantage,” he said.

“City will be much more focused this time. City are a top club.

“When they are really focused it’s difficult for opposing teams. I know they respect us a lot. This is going to be a tough, tough game.”

With Liverpool enjoying a run of three successive clean sheets and having welcomed attacking duo Daniel Sturridge and Philippe Coutinho back from injury

in recent weeks, Toure believes the final comes at a good time for Klopp’s side.

“Before that we had been conceding too many soft goals,” he added.“We’ve shown we’re getting better defensively and we’re doing well.

“Going forward, we can score more but we are creating a lot of chances. With the attacking players we have we know we can hurt teams.

“Winning this trophy would be so good for this club. We’ve got a top manager, who has made a big difference already, and there’s nothing better than winning the first trophy.

“People then leave you to do your job. This is a big opportunity for us all and we want to take it.”

Source: Liverpool Echo

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