MANCHESTER -- Pep Guardiola says that Yaya Toure is still lacking the intensity to be considered for a Manchester City recall.
Toure was left out of the squad for City's Premier League opener against Sunderland and was left behind in Manchester for the Champions League trip to Steaua Bucharest.
Guardiola praised the 33-year-old's qualities but suggested that he is unlikely to be involved in Saturday's match against Stoke City at the Bet365 Stadium.
"Yaya, until Aug. 31, is here," the City boss told a news conference. "I know he's trying. He loves football a lot.
"I spoke with him about his situation. He loves to play football, he's a player with huge quality. I'm very glad his manager [agent] said I am a good coach. Thank you Dimitry [Seluk].
"I have a lot of respect for Yaya, a good relation. I know when he is going to increase a little bit his intensity without the ball, he will be part of the group, if he wants to stay."
Ilkay Gundogan is still recovering from a dislocated kneecap while Leroy Sane had a small hamstring injury and neither will be involved against Stoke although they have returned to full training.
Saturday's game will be Guardiola's first away trip in the Premier League and it's set to be a tough test against Mark Hughes' side.
City have a poor record at Stoke -- having won only once in eight Premier League visits -- while wind and heavy rain has been forecast in the Potteries.
"All the managers try to control as much as possible about his team -- but the weather we cannot control," Guardiola added. "We are going to play with the conditions and we want to win the title and to fight for the title you have to adapt.
"I don't like to complain, I don't like to have players complain because the pitch wasn't good or it was too windy. We have to adapt. It is one ball 11 v 11."
Guardiola will come up against former players Bojan Krkic, who he worked with Barcelona, and ex-Bayern Munich midfielder Xherdan Shaqiri, and said they must be wary of their quality.
"Bojan can play as a striker or as a No. 10 and it's perfect for him," he said. "And Shaqiri has the quality of a winger to go inside and can play at number 10 and the set-pieces. And around the box he is such a dangerous player because he has a good talent."