Kalulu eager to prove Milan ‘wrong’ but won’t seek revenge at Juventus

Pierre Kalulu’s return to the Stadio San Siro in a Juventus shirt will be a chance for him to prove his former club were ‘wrong’ to sell him on loan to their Scudetto rivals last summer, a decision that left him ‘disappointed’.

Kalulu joined the Rossoneri from Lyon in the summer of 2020 and established himself as one of the revelations of Stefano Pioli’s title-winning side in 2022, but injuries and decreasing trust in him affected his status last season, leading the club to set up a move that he was initially reluctant to accept.

However, the defender’s brother Aldo Kalulu, also a footballer for Partizan Belgrade, explained that the 24-year-old won’t seek ‘revenge’ when he takes on his former side on Saturday, although his story with Milan is ‘finished’ despite only signing for Juventus on a temporary deal.

Kalulu ‘disappointed’ by Milan’s behaviour, call with Thiago Motta ‘made the difference’

“At first, he was sad because he didn’t want to leave Milan, and he was also sad because he understood that the club no longer wanted him,” Aldo Kalulu told La Gazzetta dello Sport in an interview, detailing how his brother matured the decision to leave the Rossoneri last summer after feeling ‘disappointed’ by how they behaved.

“Some directors changed there, but he spoke with Zlatan [Ibrahimovic], with whom he also played, and he was upset when they talked on the phone.

“By the way, the first contact was between Milan and Juventus, and then the Bianconeri called Pierre. He was surprised… So, he called Milan himself, and they explained that this was a solution that would allow him to play more and things like that.

“He was disappointed by their behaviour. He was always treated well in Milan, and it was at Milan that he signed his first serious contract.”

Once he was faced with his club’s decision, Kalulu had his first call with Juventus: “On the other side of the phone was Thiago Motta,” the defender’s brother revealed.

“And that call made the difference. When the coach calls you and says nice things, it’s the best thing that can happen. He told him they needed him, that he was a very strong player, that even though he’d had injuries, he wanted him there.

“It was the perfect start to this story. And anyway, to a club like Juventus, you can’t say no. Pierre did well in Milan, he liked the team, the city, but when they tell you they no longer want you, you have to leave.

“Let’s clarify that he is on loan, but it’s hard to imagine a future together again. He doesn’t expect anything from Milan, and Milan shouldn’t expect anything from him. It’s a finished story.”

But while Kalulu is willing to show his worth to the team that let him go, his main focus is on helping Juventus to win an important game as his brother clarified he won’t seek revenge: “No, absolutely not. He’s too mature for that,” Aldo Kalulu added.

“And what happened is part of life; if you don’t think like that, you’re being childish, and that’s not the case with him.

“He just wants to play his game. Of course, he wants to win and do his best. He’s eager to score and make assists, but the most important thing for him is the victory.

“He’s doing well there, he likes the club, the way they work, and he knows he’s improving every day. He sees many differences between this season and the last. He’s growing physically, mentally, in terms of intensity on the field, and technically. He’s very happy.”