Koulibaly reveals incredible Sarri story

Napoli star Kalidou Koulibaly has revealed how the ‘very intense’ Maurizio Sarri dragged him away from his wife’s bedside following the birth of his first son – only to name him on the bench.

The Senegal defender was listening to Sarri deliver a video analysis session ahead of a fixture against Sassuolo in January 2016 when his wife Charline called to say she was going into labour.

Initially, Koulibaly was too frightened to answer the calls for fear of Sarri’s reaction but eventually had little option. But that was only the start of a story that underlines Sarri’s crazy approach.

Koulibaly told The Players Tribune: “She called me five or six times. Our manager at the time was Maurizio Sarri. He’s a very intense guy. So I didn’t want to answer.

“Finally, I ran outside and picked up the phone and my wife said, ‘You have to come now. Our son is coming.”

“I go to Sarri and I say, ‘Mister, I’m sorry but I have to go now! My son is coming!’

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“Sarri looks at me and says, ‘No, no, no. I need you tonight, Kouli. I really need you. You can’t go.’

“I say, ‘This is the birth of my son, Mister. You can do whatever you want to me. Fine me, suspend me, I don’t care. I am going.’

“Sarri looks so stressed, and he is smoking his cigarette. Smoking, smoking, thinking… then finally he says, ‘OK, OK, you can go to the clinic. But you have to be back for the match tonight. I need you, Kouli!”

Luckily, despite Sarri’s unexpected intervention, Koulibaly made it in time for the birth of his son Seni, which he describes as ‘the happiest day of my life.’

But any hope of sharing the joy with his wife proved short-lived.

Koulibaly continues: “At 4pm, I got a call from Mr Sarri. This guy… you just have to understand… he’s crazy. I say this in a good way, but he is crazy!

“He says, ‘Kouli?! Are you coming back?! I need you! I really need you! Please!”

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Koulibaly did as he was told and reported to the stadium for the match. But there was to be a twist in the tale.

‘So then I am getting ready to play, and Sarri comes into the dressing room and puts up the team sheet. And I am looking… looking… looking…

“My number is not there. I said, ‘Mister! Are you kidding me?’

“He said, ‘What? It is my choice.’ He put me on the bench! He didn’t even start me!”

Koulibaly admits he can now retell the story with a smile on his face, saying ‘it is everything that I love about Napoli.’

In the end, Koulibaly did come off the bench for the final 22 minutes of the game that night as they turned around an early deficit to win 3-1.

He will come up against Sarri this season with the manager taking over at Juventus following a single season with Chelsea.