PSG/Slovan Bratislava – Yaya Touré knows his side will suffer

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·9 September 2026

PSG/Slovan Bratislava – Yaya Touré knows his side will suffer

This Wednesday at 9pm (broadcast on Canal+), Paris Saint-Germain face Slovan Bratislava at the Parc des Princes as part of the Matchday 1 of the 2026-2027 Champions League. In a press conference, the coach of the Slovak club, Yaya Touré, spoke about this match and the Parisian opponent.

Yaya Touré: “He’s one of the best coaches in the world; playing against his team is a pleasure”

How are you approaching this match against PSG?

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“It’s a good match to play, I’m really excited, it’s one of the best teams in the world. I have a lot of respect for this team.”

Luis Enrique described your team as one that likes possession. Do those compliments put any pressure on you?

“No, why pressure? It’s a pleasure, I’m happy to be here, you can see that, right? (Laughs.) He’s one of the best coaches in the world; playing against his team is a pleasure. PSG are going through a bit of a difficult spell at the moment (two draws, one defeat in the league). They will try to respond; we will try to put in a good performance, we have a lot of respect.”

Yaya Touré: “The players want to play against Paris”

Is this the best time to face PSG?

“It’s the right time to face them but… From experience, their starts to the season have always been difficult, but over time… Winning the competition twice is exceptional. Paris are still Paris, they’ve been exceptional, and we’re going to play without fear, with a lot of desire. People tend to think the players are in awe. But the players want to play against Paris. I’m eager to see how they perform. They’re not in great form… The Parisians will have to prove themselves.”

Yaya Touré: “We have to make things difficult for them.”

How do you avoid fear or apprehension before facing a team like Paris?

“When I started in football, I always wanted not to be the one who has too much respect; you need character to be able to perform. We respect Paris, with the best coach, the best players in the world, it will be a great challenge. But the players are not afraid. I need them to let themselves go. It’s Paris, OK, but it’s a match. The players have to run, attack down the flanks. We have to make things difficult for them. We have to be brave, determined, passionate. We’re going to make mistakes, we’re going to suffer, that’s for sure, I need to see how my team performs,” remarks relayed by L’Equipe.

PSG return to the Champions League this Wednesday, of course with their status as two-time European champions. As defending champions, the Parisians obviously cannot afford to get this opening match wrong, especially since this first game is being played at the Parc des Princes.

After a difficult start to the season in Ligue 1, PSG need to get back to winning ways on the European stage. Even so, the recent results will be a source of motivation for the Parisian opponent this Wednesday. But the experience on the Rouge et Bleu side will certainly help them gain the upper hand in this match.

A win would bring a big boost of confidence and perhaps truly kick-start the season. The first few weeks are always difficult, but the three points are very important in order to put themselves in the best possible position for the coming weeks and the next big fixtures.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇫🇷 here.