Recently Arsenal have signed Riccardo Calafiori from Bologna and Mikel Arteta handed him a debut against French side Lyon. Arsenal won the match against Lyon with a scoreline of 2-0. Gabriel Magalhaes and William Saliba have scored the goals for Arsenal.
According to Mirror, Arsenal bought Calafiori for £42m. So far, he has justified his hefty price tag which is a good thing for Arsenal. The football community has seen the meteoric rise of Calafiori. Bologna manager Thiago Motta has turned lifted his career. Before playing in Bologna, Calafiori used for AS Roma, and he used to suffer from injuries.
Now he is playing for Arsenal. This is a clear example of perseverance and hard work. Everyone is talking about Riccardo Calafiori because he is a modern defender who loves to carry the ball. Generally, these types of defenders are rare in football, but Mikel Arteta need these types of players.
Arsenal and Calafiori
Before the Euro 2024, the Gunners were linked with young Portuguese defender Antonio Silva. He had a fantastic season for Benfica. So, the Portuguese was selected in the national team, but things didn’t go as we expected. Antonio Silva struggled to produce his best in Euro 2024 and Portugal got knocked out of the European tournament.
This incident changed Arsenal’s decision, and they focused on another rising talent. He is the Italian defender Riccardo Calafiori. In the Euro 2024, Italy produced one of the worst performances in their entire history, but the young defender was a revelation for Italy. During harsh conditions, Calafiori showed character and delivered masterclass performances.
Details of the match
Arsenal have bagged two goals against a team like Lyon. This will certainly boost their confidence. The first goal came from an in-swinging long ball from Declan Rice where William Saliba headed the ball into Lyon’s net. There was so much power in the header that the Lyon goalkeeper Perri was unable to save the header.
After Saliba’s goal, Arsenal defender Gabriel Magalhaes scored from a corner. Declan Rice provided an in-swinging delivery from the corner. Lyon players were completely clueless against Arsenal defence.
On the other hand, Riccardo Calafiori delivered a brilliant defensive performance for Arsenal. In the debut match, he has been able to keep a clean sheet. This is a massive accomplishment for the young Italian defender. Everyone is expecting a fantastic season from the young defender.
Expectations for next season
In recent years, the Gunners have emerged as the new contenders for the Premier League title. They are playing beautiful and effective football.
After the Community Shield win against Manchester United, Pep Guardiola was asked about Arsenal’s condition, and he said that the Gunners have maintained the same tempo just like last season. The Manchester City boss also believes that Mikel Arteta’s team are getting stronger each and every season.
There is another team which can win Premier League, and it is Liverpool. The Reds have shown some glimpse of their talent because they defeated Arsenal in a preseason game. So, Arne Slot’s Liverpool can also compete these two in-form teams. So, this year’s title race will be an interesting one to watch.
Recent Arsenal performances
The Gunners began their preseason with a victory against AFC Bournemouth. Although they won the match in a tiebreaker, it boosted their confidence. Gradually, their performance improved.
After that, Arsenal faced Liverpool on their preseason tour, but it turned out to be a difficult fixture for Arteta’s team. Arne Slot’s experienced Liverpool team slaughtered Arsenal with their silent assassins like Mohammed Salah. Now we are excited to see how Arsenal will compete with Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City.
For more sports updates, make sure to follow us on:
