Yaya Toure Urges Slovan to Learn from PSG’s 6-1 Champions League Rout

Yaya Toure said Slovan Bratislava must use the scale of their 6-1 Champions League defeat at Paris Saint-Germain as a reference point for the rest of the league phase, after watching the holders begin their defence with a commanding performance at the Parc des Princes.

PSG underline their credentials

1. Paris Saint-Germain opened their European title defence with a 6-1 win over Slovan Bratislava, demonstrating the depth and cohesion of a squad containing 10 Ballon d’Or nominees.
2. Ousmane Dembele was central to the result, scoring twice and creating two further goals as PSG repeatedly found ways through Slovan’s defensive structure.
3. The match marked a personal landmark for Toure, who became the first African manager to lead a side in a Champions League proper fixture.
4. Slovan gave their full effort despite the sizeable difference in quality, with Toure accepting that his side had encountered one of the strongest opponents they are likely to meet in the competition.

Toure admires Luis Enrique’s complete side

The former Manchester City midfielder spoke warmly of Luis Enrique’s work in Paris, describing PSG as a side without an obvious weakness across defence, midfield and attack.

Toure said he would like to replicate the elements that make PSG so difficult to play against. In his view, their players understand one another exceptionally well, resist pressure and can damage opponents from any area of the pitch.

He also felt the result reflected PSG’s respect for Slovan. Rather than easing off against the Slovak side, the European champions maintained their intensity throughout the contest.

Dembele’s display provides a lesson

Dembele’s four direct goal contributions made him the main subject of Toure’s post-match assessment. The Slovan coach joked that the France international had chosen an unfortunate night, from his perspective, to rediscover his sharpest form.

Toure said he had watched Dembele’s previous two or three matches and did not believe the winger had been at his best. Against Slovan, however, he considered him outstanding and labelled him a fantastic player.

Rather than viewing the experience only as a setback, Toure said facing a player of Dembele’s level could help his developing group understand the standards required on Europe’s biggest stage.

Slovan will now focus on their remaining league-phase matches, carrying the tactical lessons from Paris into the rest of their Champions League campaign. Toure expects PSG, whom he called one of the best teams Slovan will face, to remain among the leading contenders to win the trophy again.