Former Manchester City and Ivory Coast star Yaya Toure on Tuesday hailed the dawn of "a new era" as he prepares to become the first African to coach a team in the UEFA Champions League when his Slovan Bratislava side take on Paris Saint-Germain.
Toure, 43, left his position as an assistant coach with the Saudi Arabian national team before taking over in July at Slovakia's dominant club, domestic champions in each of the last eight seasons.
He then led Slovan through three qualifying rounds to secure a place in the lucrative league phase of Europe's elite club competition.
No African before him has coached a team in the Champions League, although there are examples of Europeans born in Africa who have been in the dugout in the competition. Carlos Queiroz and Paulo Fonseca are Portuguese but were born in Mozambique, while France's Jean Tigana was born in Bamako.
"It is true that it feels a bit strange," Toure told reporters in Paris on the eve of his team's game against the reigning European champions.
"But on a personal level it is really nice. This is an important new era. We can say that things are now changing and moving forward.
"There are people who are brave enough to take young coaches, who are eager to work, who want to move things forward in a positive way."
Toure thanked the club's management, including former Slovakia striker Robert Vittek in his role as sporting director, for giving him his chance.
"Because it's not easy. It's very, very difficult for us. We have to work two or three times harder" to get such an opportunity, Toure insisted.
Toure, who won 97 caps for Ivory Coast, was part of the Barcelona team under Pep Guardiola that claimed the Champions League title in 2009.
His new team won their first four domestic league matches of the season but have lost two on the bounce heading into their trip to Paris.
However, he insists there is no pressure on Slovan -- who lost all eight games on their last appearance in the league phase two years ago -- as they face Luis Enrique's side, the back-to-back champions.
"It is a pleasure. Luis Enrique is a great coach and one of the best around just now. So to play against his team is just a pleasure."
rbo/as/nf
