Napoli defender Kalidou Koulibaly explained there was no “magic potion” to stopping PSG star Kylian Mbappé, while he shrugged off transfer gossip.
The Senegal international was already valued at over €100m and his price-tag only rose higher after two exceptional performances against Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League.
“I had no magic potion for stopping Mbappé, I simply did my job,” K2 told Afriquefoot.
Napoli defender Kalidou Koulibaly explained there was no “magic potion” to stopping PSG star Kylian Mbappé, while he shrugged off transfer gossip.
The Senegal international was already valued at over €100m and his price-tag only rose higher after two exceptional performances against Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League.
“I had no magic potion for stopping Mbappé, I simply did my job,” K2 told Afriquefoot.
“Every rival has his strengths and weaknesses, so a defender must find the right key to neutralising him. Mbappé is very, very fast. We all saw him for France at the World Cup and again in Ligue 1.
“He is very difficult to stop, so I tried to anticipate his movements. It worked well on Tuesday and I am happy.”
Koulibaly was asked to describe himself in three words.
“I’d say ‘humility’ is very important for me, then without ‘respect’ you get nowhere. Finally, I don’t know. I am always pretty ‘stubborn’ and try to give my best.
“I am working to improve myself. I don’t need a transfer window or any gossip to do that. I’m a professional and every day I try to become a better player.
“Of course, it’s pleasing to be of interest to many clubs, but I am totally concentrated on Napoli. Football moves fast, both up and down, so today there is positive talk about me and the most important thing is that I remain a quality player who helps my team.
“After that, we’ll see what happens. We are only at the start of the season, so I have no need to think about it. The most important thing for me is helping Napoli qualify for the next phase of the Champions League.”