Yaya Touré became this Wednesday the first African coach to manage in the Champions League, leading Slovan Bratislava in an away game against Paris Saint-Germain. The former Ivorian midfielder, who throughout his career represented clubs such as Barcelona, Manchester City and Olympiacos, now takes on a new challenge as head coach of the Slovak team.
Slovan Bratislava is competing in the league phase of the Champions League this season, which allowed Yaya Touré to make history in European football. His debut in the competition took place at the Parc des Princes, in Paris, against one of the strongest teams in world football.
Before starting his coaching career, Yaya Touré was one of the most respected players on the African continent, having won the Champions League with Barcelona in 2009 and several Premier League titles with Manchester City. His experience as a player in the European elite now translates into a new role on the bench.
With this achievement, Touré joins a very small number of Africans who have reached prominent positions in European football, paving the way for other coaches from the continent in the world's premier club competition.
