Naples, Koulibaly: “If we win all of them it will be 90% championship. It will be a battle”
The Defender of Napoli, Kalidou Koulibalyfresh from commitments with the Senegalese national team, he gave a long interview to Radio Kiss Kiss Naples in which many topics were discussed. These are his words: “I’m fine, I went back to Naples yesterday with great pleasure, ready to work for Sunday’s match”.
Could it be the right year for the Scudetto?
“I hope. It is true that 2022 has started very well, also for Napoli not only for the national team. I won the Africa Cup, we qualified for the World Cup and Napoli are in the running for the Scudetto. It will be a tough battle. until the end, but I’m ready to fight to give a dream to my city, which is Naples “.
What will count in these last eight races?
“We know that there are many, but also few, so we will have to face them as 8 finals. The further we go, the more difficult the matches become, but we remain focused to fight. It will be hard, but we have a dream: to give a great thing to this city and all the Neapolitans in the world. The whole group will give their best on the pitch and I hope that the fans will stay close to us too because we need them. We will not have to look at others, but only at us. done at the beginning of the season. 90% if we win all 8 races that we miss the Scudetto and therefore we have to concentrate on this “.
What game should Napoli play in Bergamo?
“He has to play the right game. It will be difficult, we have always done it with Atalanta. They are a great team, there is no need for introductions. But we also have our goals and that we lack several players must be an excuse. Napoli is a team, Napoli is a group, not just 2-3 players. Osimhen, Rrahmani and Di Lorenzo are missing who are important to us, but they will stay in the locker room until the end and give us the strength. very hostile, it will be difficult to win in Bergamo. But we know we can do it “.
Would honorary citizenship be a nice recognition?
“It would be a wonderful thing. We know that I care a lot about the city, the fans, the people. I would be very happy because everyone calls me ‘the Neapolitan’ even in the national team and this makes me very happy. Everyone knows that I am very attached to this. city and to these people “.
Will he play on the center-right given the absence of Rrahmani?
“Wherever the coach puts me, I want to play for this shirt. Left or right is not a problem, even in the national team I play on the right. Finding the clean sheet would be important, it bothers me that we haven’t gotten one for a while. . Our goal is not to score immediately, then they’ll think about it in front of me. Playing center-right or center-left doesn’t change much for me. “
In attack there will be Mertens.
“Nobody has doubts about him: a great player, a great man and a great Neapolitan. He is playing a little less, but what he does when he goes in is there for all to see. He has done very well and many goals. our striker, our ‘Ciro’ and I think he will score. He knows what he has to do, he always has wonderful celebrations and when he scores I expect something good. “
What do you think about the elimination of Italy from the World Cup?
“I am so sorry because the European champions will not be at the World Cup. I know the quality of the Italian players, if I am in Italy and play in Serie A there is a reason, I have learned a lot. I am very sorry that they will not go to Qatar. It is very difficult with this formula of the dry match. You have seen, we lost the first match in Egypt and then we overturned on the return to Senegal. I going to the World Cup will bring with me a small piece of Naples, we hope that the Neapolitans cheer for Senegal “.
What is your relationship with Spalletti?
“I’ve never had any problems with the coaches and there is a relationship between us. I always give everything, I don’t do things by halves. As soon as the coach arrived, I made myself available. I have always been respectful with the coaches . It went very well with him, I have learned so many things. Even today I am doing well. I try to have my say when he asks me something, while when he gives us information I give everything to respect the delivery. He knows he can count on me and vice versa. After the match in the national team he sent me a message, this is a sign of the fact that he loves me and I love him too. The first thing he said to me when I returned from the national team was that he was waiting for me and not I had to disappoint him. I’ll do my best not to disappoint him. “
What hit Spalletti?
“together The player passes, the man remains. And for me the man always remains in first place. Ghoulam and I, who we always are, we often say. This is what counts and we try to bring him to the group. One of the things what he did to me and what surprised me is to help a little with the linesman. Sometimes we have the game behind us and looking at the linesman we can orient ourselves. He tells us since Dimaro’s retirement. Today I use it and it helps me a lot “.
Has Spalletti also changed you from a psychological point of view?
“We must not forget the work done before with Gattuso who laid good foundations. Gattuso’s work was positive for us. Then as soon as he arrived, Spalletti told us that his predecessor’s work had been good and he would try to dare to Then we grew up and we know we don’t have to make the same mistakes in the past, as happened with Milan. We were sorry to lose at home to the Rossoneri, but we believed in it. In mental terms it helped us a lot. But also the level. coaches who have been there before. What Spalletti gives us we need a lot, we know we can do something great. I thank the coach for what he is giving us, this group needed a bit of energy and a bit of self-esteem and he gave them to us. “
You are the testimonial of the fight against racism.
“It is an important fight, even today there are episodes of racism. We must continue to expel it. We are one person, one language and only if we all stay together will we be able to fight it. We continue to take initiatives against those who use these forms of racism. We have to go further for better football. “
Nice gesture of inviting the Senegalese community of Naples to the stadium.
“I don’t like talking about these things. I wanted to invite them because I see them every day and I see them watching matches, so I decided to invite them all to the stadium. For some it was their first time at Maradona, it was great. I’ll repeat this quest. “operation when there will be fewer people at the stadium, as soon as I can. They also brought us luck against Udinese. “