Yaya Touré has become the first African coach to take charge of a team in the UEFA Champions League main tournament, marking a historic milestone in his first season as a manager.
The 43-year-old Ivorian is in his first managerial role after being appointed by Slovan Bratislava last July, with the Slovak side qualifying for the Champions League through the qualifying stages.
However, Touré‘s historic campaign suffered a heavy setback as Slovan Bratislava lost 6-1 to reigning European champions Paris Saint-Germain in the group phase.
“It is true that it feels a bit strange,” Toure told reporters in Paris on the eve of his team’s game against the reigning European champions.
“But on a personal level it is really nice. This is an important new era. We can say that things are now changing and moving forward.
“There are people who are brave enough to take young coaches, who are eager to work, who want to move things forward in a positive way.
The Slovak side are currently fourth in the Slovak Super Liga, having recorded four wins and two defeats.
Touré thanks club management
Touré thanked the club’s management, including former Slovakia striker Robert Vittek in his role as sporting director, for giving him his chance.
“Because it’s not easy. It’s very, very difficult for us. We have to work two or three times harder” to get such an opportunity, Toure insisted.
Before taking his first head coaching role, Touré worked as an assistant coach at Leyton Orient in England, Olimpik Donetsk in Ukraine, Akhmat Grozny in Russia, Standard Liège in Belgium and with the Saudi Arabia national team from 2020.
No African before him had coached a team in the Champions League, although there are examples of Europeans born in Africa who have been in the dugout in the competition. Carlos Queiroz and Paulo Fonseca are Portuguese but were born in Mozambique, while France’s Jean Tigana was born in Bamako.
Touré, who won 97 caps for Ivory Coast, was part of Pep Guardiola’s Barcelona team that won the Champions League in 2009.
