What Kalidou Koulibaly said ahead of Chelsea’s Champions League clash vs AC Milan

Kalidou Koulibaly addressed the media ahead of Chelsea's Champions League clash with AC Milan on Wednesday night. 

It’s going to be a night where Chelsea need to be at their best against the Serie A champions, who will have Fikayo Tomori and Olivier Giroud returning to Stamford Bridge. 

Chelsea are bottom of Group E, winless, and avoiding defeat as a minimum will be crucial to their chances of progressing into the Champions League knockout stages. 

They have been told by their teammate Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang what they must do after he said: "I think this is really important – if we want to qualify we have to win the game.

“These two games are key and we will have to show character like we did against Crystal Palace on Saturday and win those two games."

Here's what the Chelsea defender had to say on Tuesday afternoon in his pre-match press conference:

Olivier Giroud

"He's a big player, showed it in Serie A last year. Scored a lot of goals, in Chelsea too. He's dangerous, we always have to be aware because he can score at every time. We will have a tough time, but we will be ready to win this game."

Not playing under Graham Potter yet

"I'm easy, I know my time will come, we have a lot of games. I will give everything in training. For the moment, I'm working good and give my best to show him that he can use me on the pitch.

"The most important is that Chelsea win this game tomorrow. We absolutely have to win tomorrow. We have prepared to win, I hope we can."

AC Milan

"They have a great team. Milan have a good story in the Champions League. Last year, they win the Scudetto with a lot of good and talented players. They are dangerous. They get some good points already.

"We have to be aware that they have a lot of quality in the front and back. They have young players who are used to playing in big games. We have to be aware of everything and to try to win this game is really important."

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang

"Everybody knows that he is an important player for us. We are happy to be with him today (at Chelsea). He can give us a lot, score a lot of goals.

"Hard to take him in training, he's talented, but everybody in training is difficult. We have a lot of talent in this team.

"I have confidence of my strikers, they will always score for us. The most important is to not let goals in at the back."

Adapting to English football

"I was expecting it to be hard. I know it would be hard to move eight years of my life to London to move to one of the best clubs in the world, you always have to work. I know my time will come, it's a normal process.

"I arrived here two months ago, I do miss Napoli but it was my choice. I wanted to come to join this club, one of the best in the world. We knew it would be difficult, to go from Italy to England, I knew that. I was ready.

"At the moment, we are going through a normal process. I like it here, I'm very happy to be here. I know (AC Milan) very well, they are capable of doing anything.

"Today, I play for a great club. They need me. I will do everything I can to contribute to this team.

"The pace is a little bit different than Italian football. But I am really happy to be part of the Premier League, it was my dream. I know it's difficult for foreign players, I knew it, I spoke to a lot of people.

"I know when my moment will come, I will be at 100 per cent and will give everything for my club. This is the most important. We have a lot of games, I have to be patient. When I get my opportunity to play, I will give everything."

Adapting to change of head coach

"We know when we change trainers, it's tough for the players. Mr Potter spoke to us about what he expects on and off the pitch. We are leading in a good way, we keep on going, working to give everything he wants.

"It's tough, but it's the beauty of football. We always have to improve to be the best, we have a lot of talent and big players. We showed a lot of character at the weekend and we hope to show it tomorrow."