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Kalidou Koulibaly reveals Chelsea club legends Didier Drogba and Gianfranco Zola warned him he would struggle to adapt to the Premier League as the £33million defender admits he’s had a ‘hard time’ since leaving Napoli
- Koulibaly has been a key part of Chelsea’s backline this season
- He claims two Chelsea legends warned him about the standard in England
- Ex-Blues Didier Drogba and Gianfranco Zola contacted the central defender
- He said he expected the competition to be tough and revealed ‘it has been so’
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Chelsea defender Kalidou Koulibaly has revealed that two Chelsea legends warned he would struggle to adapt to the Premier League.
The Senegalese centre-back, who came over from Napoli this summer, has been a key figure in Chelsea’s squad this season under both Thomas Tuchel and Graham Potter.
Transitioning to the Premier League is never easy and Koulibaly has now revealed which former Chelsea stars suggested he would ‘have a hard time’ in England.
Kalidou Koulibaly has revealed two Chelsea legends warned he would struggle in England
The defender revealed that Didier Drogba (L) and Gianfranco Zola said he would have a ‘difficult’ time
To talk with Corriere della SeraKoulibaly said: ‘The great thing about football is this, I arrive with a coach who wanted me at all costs and then he leaves.
“Both Tuchel and Potter are playing with the three-man defence. At Napoli I was used to playing with a four-man backline. It’s another arrow I put in my bow, you never stop learning.
“I knew I was going to have a hard time, and it is now. Even Zola, Drogba expected it to happen and told me.’
In Chelsea’s turbulent campaign, Tuchel – the manager who initially identified Koulibaly as a target – was sacked after three games of the season.
The defender insists he’s had a ‘hard time’, but statistics show he has remained one of the Blues’ better players, quickly convincing fans of his defensive capabilities.
The team kept four clean sheets in the eight Premier League games he started and the 31-year-old even scored against Spurs in August.
Koulibaly has helped Chelsea keep a clean sheet in half of his Premier League outings
Building on his move from Napoli, he continued: “I believe in fate. My period was over, I had given everything. From an emotional point of view, little changes. I feel every goal, every victory, as if I experienced them first hand.
“You know what I’m talking about in the Chelsea dressing room? From the victories of my former teammates. And do you know why? I’m proud of it. I often hear from Anguissa and Osimhen. I’ve also exchanged messages with Kvara, whom I don’t know yet.’
Chelsea fans will be thrilled to hear that their centre-back is texting Napoli’s rising star Khvicha ‘Kvara’ Kvaratskhelia – one of the hottest talents in Europe.
Koulibaly claimed he is in touch with some former teammates such as Victor Osihmen (L)
Khvicha Kvaratskhelia has become one of the most talked about prospects in Europe
Both Zola and Drogba will be well aware of the difficulties of transitioning to the Premier League as they have done the same in their respective careers.
Zola joined the Blues from Italy’s Parma in 1996 and saw an immediate drop in his output in front of goal. He scored 49 goals in 102 appearances for the Serie A side, but could only score 59 goals in 229 appearances at Chelsea.
Meanwhile, Drogba racked up just 10 goals in his first season for the Blues, compared to 19 he had scored for Marseille the season before.
Koulibaly has missed Chelsea’s last three games through injury, although Blues boss Potter hinted that he may be available for their clash with RB Salzburg tomorrow.
Gianfranco Zola scored 59 goals for Chelsea in seven seasons at the club