Yaya Toure set to make Champions League history with Slovan Bratislava

Yaya Toure will become the first African-born manager to lead a team in the UEFA Champions League when Slovan Bratislava face Paris Saint-Germain in the opening round of the league phase.

The former Barcelona and Manchester City midfielder will take charge of the Slovak champions against Luis Enrique’s side in Paris on Tuesday evening, marking a landmark moment for African coaches in European football’s leading club competition.

Toure, 43, left his role as an assistant coach with the Saudi Arabia national team before being appointed Slovan Bratislava manager in July. The club have won the Slovak league for the past eight seasons.

He guided Slovan through three qualifying rounds to secure their place in the Champions League league phase. No African manager had previously coached a team in the competition, although several European managers born in Africa have taken charge of Champions League sides.

Those examples include Portuguese coaches Carlos Queiroz and Paulo Fonseca, both born in Mozambique, while former France international Jean Tigana was born in Bamako, Mali.

Speaking before the match, Toure described his appointment as part of a changing landscape for coaches from the continent.

“It is true that it seems a little strange, but personally, it is really fantastic. This is an important new era. We can say that things are changing now and moving forward,” he said.

“There are people brave enough to employ young coaches who are enthusiastic about working and want to move things forward in a positive way,” Toure added, according to Yahoo Sport.

The former Ivory Coast international also thanked Slovan’s board, including former Slovakia striker and current sporting director Robert Vittek, for giving him the opportunity.

“Because it is not easy. It is extremely difficult for us. We have to work two or three times harder” to receive chances of this kind, Toure said.

Toure won 97 international caps for Ivory Coast and was part of the Barcelona team managed by Pep Guardiola that lifted the Champions League trophy in 2009.

His new club made an impressive start to the domestic season by winning their first four league matches. However, they have since suffered two consecutive defeats before travelling to Paris.

Toure insists there is no pressure on Slovan, who lost all eight of their matches in their previous appearance in the Champions League league phase two years ago. They now face a Paris Saint-Germain team described as two-time defending champions.

“It is a pleasure. Luis Enrique is a great manager and one of the best coaches at the moment. So playing against his team is a pleasure in itself,” Toure said.