Two members of Manchester City’s senior side are currently overseas playing in the Africa Cup of Nations. City midfielder Yaya Toure is captain of the Ivory Coast football team and is leading his compatriots through their opening group. Meanwhile, new City forward Wilfried Bony left the UK after one game in the Premier League to join Toure in the CAF.
Toure has been an important presence at midfield for City. The 31 year old has 7 goals in 18 league appearances this season, plus one goal in the FA Cup, and another in the Champions League. The Ivory Coast is definitely betting that their captain can emulate his success at Manchester in the CAF.
Toure believes that this will be the year for the Elephants to capture the CAF trophy, which the team has been unable to do since 1992. Ivory Coast is one of the most experienced teams in the competition, and Toure believes the current squad has what it takes to become champions.
“We have been chasing this trophy for a few years now, and we’ve not got it. This year it’s time again to try to do it and I hope that at long last, we have it in us. We can do it. I am fighting for it.”
Toure and the rest of the team will rely on Bony, who was recently signed to City with Toure. Bony is considered to be the new leading striker for the Elephants after Didier Drogba retired from international football to focus on his career at Chelsea.
Both Toure and Bony played together at the 2014 World Cup last summer, and will become regular teammates when they return to the UK at the end of the CAF. Together, the two stars bet they can lead their country to success that eluded the team for 23 years.