‘Not everybody has the same idea’: Chelsea’s Senegalese star Kalidou Koulibaly bites back at Napoli owner Aurelio De Laurentiis’ lack of ‘respect’ over his shocking AFCON rant
- Kalidou Koulibaly has responded to Aurelio De Laurentiis’ extraordinary rant
- The Napoli owner criticised African players’ lack of availability due to AFCON
- Senegalese defender Koulibaly, 31, won the Africa Cup of Nations in February
- The centre half moved from Napoli to Premier League side Chelsea this summer
Kalidou Koulibaly has criticised Aurelio De Laurentiis for a lack of ‘respect’ after the Napoli owner hit out at African players in an extraordinary outburst.
The 73-year-old film producer bizarrely blasted their lack of availability throughout the season and questioned why they should have to pay their full salaries.
And Koulibaly, who moved from Napoli to Chelsea this summer, bit back at De Laurentiis at a press conference as he was unveiled as a Blues player at Cobham training ground on Wednesday.
Kalidou Koulibaly (above) has blasted Napoli owner Aurelio De Laurentiis for a lack of ‘respect’
The 73-year-old film producer blasted African stars’ lack of availability throughout the season
Senegal captain Koulibaly, who moved from Napoli to Chelsea in July, won AFCON in February
He said: ‘It’s up to him if he wants to tell this. But for me, it is important to always respect everybody. When I played there [Napoli], I also played for Senegal. I won the AFCON when I was playing in Napoli. It was indeed a difficult moment for them when we went to the AFCON, but we won it and I am really happy today.
‘We just want respect for the African national teams also. We need respect for them like the European national teams. As the captain of Senegal, I think it is not a good way to speak about the national team but I respect what he thinks. If he thinks that the team can play without African players then it is up to him.
‘I think that not everybody has the same idea of the club as him. I know everybody there. I know the supporters and they don’t think like this. I know some people who are part of this association and team who don’t have the same idea as him.
‘It is not the idea of the society or city because the city is very respectful to…