Yaya Toure said “I cannot hit them” after Slovan Bratislava’s Champions League struggles continued with a 4-0 defeat by AS Roma at the Olympic Stadium.

The result was another difficult night for Toure, who took charge of the Slovakian champions four months ago for his first job as a head coach. His team have now lost all three of their matches in the competition’s main phase, conceding 13 goals and scoring only once.

Slovan Bratislava had already been beaten 6-1 by Paris Saint-Germain and 3-0 by Stuttgart before being outclassed again in Rome. The defeats have underlined the gap between Toure’s side and Europe’s leading clubs, as the former Cote d’Ivoire captain continues his first experience of management at the highest level.

Individual errors made the task even harder against AS Roma. For the third goal, Tigran Barseghyan hesitated inside his own penalty area despite having several opportunities to clear. The Armenian captain was too slow to protect the ball, allowing Niccolo Pisilli to finish from close range.

Toure responded by replacing Barseghyan three minutes later. The fourth goal exposed another defensive weakness when Wesley was allowed to get forward too easily. Cesar Blackman eventually brought him down, and Donyell Malen converted the resulting penalty.

Slovan Bratislava failed to register a shot on target and never looked capable of mounting a comeback. Their inability to prevent straightforward opportunities is becoming an increasingly serious concern for Toure, whose side has repeatedly been punished by mistakes at the back.

The Ivorian coach acknowledged that the financial and sporting resources available to AS Roma were far greater than those at Slovan Bratislava. He also pointed out that he has been in the job for only four months, after spending time preparing for a move into management with several clubs and national teams.

“Give me time and you will see,” Toure said, while admitting that the difference between the two teams was “enormous”.

Slovan Bratislava were not built to compete immediately with sides such as Paris Saint-Germain or AS Roma. However, the ease with which they have conceded goals has increased the pressure on Toure to turn the experience into progress while retaining the confidence of his squad.

Their next European away match comes on 3 November against LASK, an opponent considered more approachable than the teams they have faced so far. That match will provide an early indication of whether Toure’s players have responded to his message.