Juventus defender admits Osimhen was ‘toughest’ Serie A opponent | OneFootball

Juventus defender Pierre Kalulu admits Victor Osimhen was his toughest opponent in Serie A, while Manchester City ‘lacked desire’ against the Bianconeri in a Champions League meeting this term.

Kalulu was the first guest of Juventus’ newly inaugurated podcast Small Talk, where he discussed his life and career on and off the pitch.

Kalulu, a former Milan defender, was asked about the toughest striker he had to mark in Serie A, and his reply left no room for doubt: “I think it was Osimhen.”

Kalulu has been playing in Serie A for several years, winning the Scudetto with Milan in 2021-22.

“I thought about the club where I could develop the most, and I picked Milan,” he said.

“It was not an easy choice. I could not return home and could make no mistakes. I left my comfort zone and it was good for me.”

TURIN, ITALY – OCTOBER 06: Pierre Kalulu of Juventus reacts during the warm up prior to the Serie A match between Juventus FC and Cagliari Calcio at Allianz Stadium on October 06, 2024 in Turin, Italy. (Photo by Jonathan Moscrop/Getty Images)

Kalulu even revealed that NBA star Tony Parker somehow convinced him to join Milan from Lyon.

“He is a star in France. I was playing videogames and I saw a call from the USA. I thought it was somebody dialing the wrong number or a commercial offer. Then I received a text from somebody telling me Tony Parker would call me.

“We spoke about his career for a long time and that difficult decisions require courage. We spoke about the positive aspects and how much Milan wanted me. I had a certainty after our chat, but I was also a bit confused. My brain could not stop thinking. I didn’t sleep much, but it was nice and once in a while I still look at Tony Parker’s number on my phone. It was the right choice; if I hadn’t taken it, I would not be here now.”

Kalulu also spoke about Turin and Juventus’ Champions League match against Manchester City in December.

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE ABOUT HIS INTERVIEW