BRATISLAVA — Former Ivory Coast international Yaya Touré has made history after becoming the first African coach to guide a club into the UEFA Champions League league phase.

Touré achieved the milestone after leading Slovak champions Slovan Bratislava to a dramatic 2–1 victory over Slovenian side NK Celje after extra time in the second leg of their final qualifying tie on Wednesday.

The result secured a 3–2 aggregate victory for Slovan Bratislava and booked the club’s place among the 36 teams competing in this season’s Champions League league phase.

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Touré Makes History in First Senior Coaching Role

The achievement is particularly significant for Touré, who is only in his first senior managerial position.

The 43-year-old was appointed head coach of Slovan Bratislava in June and has made an immediate impact, guiding the Slovak champions through three qualifying rounds to reach the elite stage of European club football.

Slovan began their qualifying campaign with a victory over Georgia’s Saburtalo, before eliminating Sweden’s Mjällby and subsequently overcoming NK Celje in the final play-off round.

Martinez Sends Slovan Through

The decisive moment against Celje came in the 100th minute when Cristian Martínez found the breakthrough, giving Slovan the advantage in extra time.

The goal proved enough to secure a 3–2 aggregate victory and send Touré’s side into the Champions League league phase.

The former Barcelona and Manchester City midfielder has therefore achieved a feat that had previously eluded African coaches attempting to lead clubs into the main phase of Europe’s premier club competition.

Surpasses Ndubuisi Egbo’s Milestone

Touré’s achievement surpasses the previous milestone associated with Nigerian coach Ndubuisi Egbo, who guided Albanian club KF Tirana into the Champions League qualifying rounds in 2020.

Egbo, however, was unable to take Tirana through to the main competition.

Touré now becomes the first African coach to successfully guide a club into the Champions League league phase, marking another landmark moment in his transition from an elite midfielder to a manager.

From Champions League Winner to Coach

Touré is no stranger to the Champions League.

The former Ivory Coast captain won the competition with Barcelona in 2009, playing a key role during the club’s successful campaign under Pep Guardiola.

Years later, he will return to Europe’s elite competition in a completely different capacity — this time standing on the touchline as Slovan Bratislava’s head coach.

His reward will be a series of high-profile fixtures against some of Europe’s biggest clubs.

Tough Start Against PSG

Slovan Bratislava’s first Champions League league-phase assignment will be a daunting one, with Touré’s side set to travel to defending champions Paris Saint-Germain on Wednesday.

The fixture will provide Touré with an early opportunity to test his managerial credentials against one of the strongest teams in European football.

For the former African Footballer of the Year, however, simply guiding Slovan Bratislava into the Champions League league phase has already secured his place in African football history.