How does Kalidou Koulibaly compare to Antonio Rudiger?

Chelsea have completed the signing of Kalidou Koulibaly from Napoli in a bid to replace the departing Antonio Rudiger, but how do his stats compare to the German defender?

Chelsea last season 

Last season Chelsea had the third best defensive record in the Premier League last season as they conceded just 33 goals in total. 

Thomas Tuchel has built up the defensive solidity of this Chelsea side as they conceded nine shots on average per 90 – only Manchester City and Liverpool averaged less than this.  

Chelsea averaged an xG of 0.95 against them last season which was the third best record in the Premier League. 

Antonio Rudiger was Chelsea’s most used outfield player last season as he racked up 3035 minutes in total, so it’s fair to say that Kalidou Koulibaly has some big shoes to fill. 

 

What Koulibaly achieved last season 

Kalidou Koulibaly has been one of the most consistent defenders in the Serie A for quite some time now and last season was no different. 

He was at the heart of a Napoli defence which conceded just 31 goals last season, the joint best record in the league alongside AC Milan. 

Last season Napoli averaged 11 shots against them per 90 which was the seventh best record in the Serie A. 

Napoli's David Ospina was the second highest overperforming goalkeeper in the Serie A last season which also highlights the role he had to play in their defensive structure. 

Napoli often lined up in a 4-2-3-1 formation last season and Koulibaly was partnered with Amir Rrahmani for the majority of the season. 

Adapting to Tuchel’s 3-4-2-1 formation and to a back three will be Koulibaly’s first task at Stamford Bridge.  

Throughout his time with Napoli, Koulibaly won the Coppa Italia and Supercoppa Italiana as he made over 300 appearances for the club during his eight year stay. 

 

How the stats compare 

In terms of bringing a goal threat, Koulibaly and Rudiger both rank very similarly as they each chipped in with three league goals last season. 

Aerially it is Koulibaly who has the sight advantage over his German counterpart as he won 1.8 aerial duels per 90 last season, compared to Rudiger’s 1.6. 

In terms of adapting from Serie A to the Premier League, dealing with long balls won’t come as much of a problem for Koulibaly. 

On average, 94.9 long balls are attempted in each Serie A match, compared to 95 on average in the Premier League.  

Koulibaly also averaged 1.4 tackles and 1.1 interceptions per 90, compared to 1.4 and 0.8 from Rudiger.  

One of the biggest areas Koulibaly will need to prove himself is with his availability as injuries have started to become more common for the 31-year-old.  

Across his last three seasons he has averaged 25 league starts a season, which would mean he is only available for 65% of the Premier League season.  

Playing out from the back is also an important skillset which Koulibaly can also bring to the table. 

Rudiger had an average pass accuracy of 88.1% last season, which just edges past Koulibaly’s average of 86.9%. 

 

What Chelsea’s ambitions are 

There’s no doubt that Thomas Tuchel’s main aim this season will be to close the gap between Manchester City and Liverpool. 

Chelsea were 18 points adrift of Liverpool last season and they will be hoping someone like Koulibaly can be a vital cog in bridging the gap.  

Raheem Sterling has also been added into the equation for next season and he will bring a consistent flow of goals, which Romelu Lukaku failed to do last season.  

Chelsea drew 11 Premier League matches last season, more than any other club in the top eight. 

Thomas Tuchel will be hopeful that the additions of Koulibaly and Sterling make all the difference.