Kalidou Koulibaly says he will be ‘ready’ for Olivier Giroud against AC Milan
Chelsea defender Kalidou Koulibaly says that he will be ‘ready’ for Olivier Giroud when the Blues host AC Milan tomorrow (October 5) in a UEFA Champions League group stage match.
Giroud will return to Stamford Bridge after playing for the Blues from 2018 to 2021. The 36-year-old had a decent time at west London scoring 39 goals in 119 appearances in all competitions.
Now Koulibaly, who joined the Blues this summer is ready to face the in-form striker. In an interview published in the Metro, the centre-back acknowledged the threat of the striker but said they will be ready.
“He is a big player. He showed it in Serie A last year, he scored a lot of goals. He did the same at Chelsea. He is a dangerous striker, you always need to be aware of him because he can score from anywhere. It will be tough for the defenders tomorrow but we will be ready. It’s important that he doesn’t score and Chelsea win this game.”
The striker was a key element in the Rossoneri’s pursuit of the Scudetto last season. He found the back of the net 11 times in 29 league appearances as Milan beat arch-rivals Inter Milan to the title.
He has continued his good form this season too, scoring five goals in 10 appearances for the club in all competitions. The Serie A champions are currently fifth on the table with 17 points, three behind leaders Napoli.
Koulibaly did not play the last game against Crystal Palace but has played in six games this season in all competitions. The 31-year-old is one of our main centre-backs and such confidence will serve as a major boost to the defender and all the players.
Chelsea will know that they cannot afford to drop points in the Champions League this season. They sit at the bottom of their group with only one point, while their opponents sit at the top with four points.
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The centre-back is likely to start the game. Fans will hope that he stays true to his word and keeps Giroud quiet throughout the game. Graham Potter will hope to win to keep their Champions League hopes alive.