Chelsea and Senegal defender Kalidou Koulibaly has backed club and international teammate Edouard Mendy to recapture his best form after a recent dip in performances. The goalkeeper has struggled in recent months, failing to stamp his place as number one under new boss Graham Potter.
His performances helped his nation Senegal reach the FIFA World Cup finals after beating Egypt on penalties in a repeat of the AFCON result that also saw Mendy become a national hero. The competition offered the shot-stopper a chance to find his feet again, but the opener was far from easy.
Senegal faced off against Netherlands, where two late goals saw the European side earn a huge win, with one of those coming from a mistake made by Mendy. Discussing his form, Koulibaly backed his teammate and told the press before their next clash against Qatar: "We [Koulibaly and Mendy] do speak a lot, we play at the same club and we are brothers in arms for Senegal. He is a very important player for us, it is normal to go through difficult phases.
