Yaya Touré becomes first African coach in Champions League league phase

Yaya Touré has become the first African coach to lead a team into the league phase of the UEFA Champions League after guiding Slovan Bratislava to a dramatic victory on Wednesday night. The Slovakian club secured its place in Europe's premier club competition by defeating Slovenian side Celje 2-1 after extra time in the second leg of their final qualifying playoff, completing a 3-2 aggregate triumph.

The decisive match took place at Arena Zdežele, where Slovan Bratislava took an early lead through Andraž Šporar in the 18th minute. Celje equalized from the penalty spot in the 34th minute via Svit Šešlar, and the tie remained level until extra time. Cristian Martínez then scored the winning goal in the 100th minute to seal the historic qualification for the Slovak champions.

The achievement marks a significant milestone in Touré's transition from a decorated playing career to management. The 43-year-old former Ivory Coast midfielder was appointed Slovan Bratislava's head coach in July 2026 on a three-year contract, making this his first senior managerial role. His immediate success has placed him in the history books, surpassing the previous record held by Nigerian coach Ndubuisi...