FORMER England boss Fabio Capello has revealed why Chelsea defender Kalidou Koulibaly is struggling to adapt to the Premier League.
The Senegal international, 31, joined the Blues in a £34million transfer from Napoli in July.
Kalidou Koulibaly has received heavy criticism since joining Chelsea
He has since made five appearances for Thomas Tuchel’s side with the most memorable coming against Tottenham – when he scored an outstanding volley to mark his first Stamford Bridge appearance in style.
However, he was sent off the following week during just his third Premier League outing, prompting heavy criticism from fans.
Ex-manager Capello believes he is finding it difficult to adapt to the fast-paced environment of England’s top tier.
When speaking to Sky Calcio Club, he said: “I would like to talk about the difficulties of Koulibaly at Chelsea.
“In Naples, he was doing everything by himself. His problems now depend on the speed with which they play in England.
“It’s the same pace used by Udinese to give Roma fits.
“It’s something that must make us Italians reflect.”
Koulibaly made 317 appearances during his eight-year spell with Napoli and was named in the Serie A team of the season on four occasions.
CHAMPIONS LEAGUE BETTING OFFER – GET £50 BACK AS CASH
Meanwhile, Chelsea have had a rocky start to the season with three wins and two defeats from their opening six games.
The Blues currently sit sixth in the Premier League table behind rivals Manchester United, Manchester City, Tottenham and Arsenal.
