Yaya Toure admits he was "scared" to play at centre-back for Barcelona against Manchester United in the 2009 Champions League final.
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Barca won 2-0Toure partnered Gerard Pique in defenceSamuel Eto'o and Lionel Messi scoredFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?
In an interview with Ferdinand for his YouTube channel Rio Ferdinand Presents, Toure admitted to being "really scared" when asked to play centre-back in the 2009 Champions League final against Manchester United. The Ivorian, normally a midfielder, lined up alongside Pique at the heart of the Barcelona defence, as Carles Puyol played at right-back due to the absence of Dani Alves. Rafael Marquez, the usual deputy centre-back, was injured.
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Toure's Barcelona ran out 2-0 winners at the Stadio Olimpico in Rome on the night thanks to goals from Samuel Eto'o and Lionel Messi. The victory over Sir Alex Ferguson's United secured a historic treble for the Catalan club, with Toure playing a key role in midfield that season.
WHAT TOURE SAID
Toure said: "Of course yeah, I have the courage but, to be honest, I have to tell you the truth, I was really scared. I was really really scared.
"It was my first time to play at centre-back in a Champions League final, you know. If we lost it, it would be 'there was an inexperienced player there, and a player of a very young age in that position, and it was all coming down to me."
AFPWHAT NEXT?
Toure is currently cutting his managerial teeth in Saudi Arabia as he pursues his ambition to become a top-level coach.