Yaya Touré pleads for time after Slovan Bratislava’s 4-0 Champions League humiliation by Roma

Slovan Bratislava manager Yaya Touré has called for patience after his side suffered a third consecutive defeat in the 2026/27 UEFA Champions League, insisting the gap between his team and Europe’s established clubs remains significant.

The Slovakian champions were beaten 4-0 by AS Roma at the Stadio Olimpico on Tuesday, leaving them bottom of the league phase table with no points from three matches.

Touré’s side conceded twice in each half as Roma secured their first victory of the campaign, compounding Slovan Bratislava’s difficult start to the competition.

The defeat followed a 6-1 loss to defending champions Paris Saint-Germain and a 3-0 reverse against VfB Stuttgart. Slovan have now conceded 13 goals and scored just once in their three outings.

Speaking after the match, the former Manchester City midfielder acknowledged the scale of the challenge facing his team and urged supporters to give him time to implement his ideas.

“If we compare ourselves to Roma, they have millions to spend. I know it’s hard to accept, but you have to give me time,” Toure said, as quoted by RomaPress.

“The whole team wants to improve, get on track, and get results. But we have to be realistic and keep our feet on the ground.”

Touré admits Slovan Bratislava lack unity

Beyond the financial disparity between the two clubs, Touré identified a lack of cohesion and concentration as major concerns for his team following their heavy defeat in Italy.

The Slovan Bratislava boss believes his players must improve their collective understanding and maintain their focus throughout matches if they are to compete more effectively against stronger opposition.

“They give 100 per cent in training; in a few months, these things can improve. We play a lot of games, but the gap between the teams is huge. We have to work to avoid certain mistakes and give our opponents a hard time,” he added.

Touré also stressed the importance of creating a positive environment within the squad, urging his players to enjoy their football while developing a stronger sense of togetherness.

“We’re not united. There are some positive things, but we’re not focused for 90 minutes, and that’s disappointing. We’ve worked on it, but there’s a lot to do. We have to fight and help each other,” he said.

The former Ivory Coast international believes the experience of facing a side of Roma’s quality can provide valuable lessons as he attempts to improve Slovan’s performances.

“There’s a lot to learn from a Roma like this; I know how we need to improve, and we’ll try to do so.”

Touré rues missed opportunities as Gasperini celebrates

Touré admitted his preparations for the encounter had not translated into the desired performance, with Slovan Bratislava struggling to impose themselves against the Italian side.

The manager was particularly disappointed by his players’ passive approach, warning that such mistakes would continue to prove costly at the highest level of European football.

“We had prepared very well; it was disappointing because we could have done better, but instead we were passive,” he explained.

“On pitches like this, you pay for it, and then it becomes complicated. We paid for our mistakes; we must improve, otherwise it will be tough for the rest of the tournament.”

Roma manager Gian Piero Gasperini, meanwhile, welcomed his side’s first win in the competition but warned his players against becoming complacent.

“The team is doing well; they’re in good spirits,” Gasperini said.

“But they shouldn’t get too complacent; they need to keep doing the essentials and play consistently. On nights like this, they could even afford to be a little more precise.”

Domestic form offers Touré some encouragement

Despite their European struggles, Slovan Bratislava remain within reach of the Slovakian league leaders.

Touré’s team sit fourth domestically with 20 points from 10 matches, six points behind leaders FC DAC 1904 Dunajská Streda.

Their immediate challenge, however, is to arrest their Champions League slide when they travel to Austria to face LASK at the Raiffeisen Arena in Linz on Tuesday, November 3.

With three defeats already recorded, Touré will hope his players can address their defensive shortcomings and improve their cohesion as they seek their first points of the league phase.