During the UEFA Nations League group stage match between France and Italy, which Italy emerged victorious from, an Arsenal F.C. defender was substituted. The match saw Arsenal players William Saliba and Riccardo Calafiori face off against each other.
Calafiori, who joined Arsenal for £42 million this summer and was Mikel Arteta’s preferred defensive choice, has yet to start a game for the club but has shown considerable promise.
Unfortunately, he sustained an ankle or leg injury during the match against France, which might delay his debut start for Arsenal. Despite being one of Italy’s standout performers until his substitution in the 71st minute, Calafiori had to exit the game prematurely.
Ousmane Dembélé was believed to have struck Calafiori on the back of the leg, causing him considerable pain and resulting in his fall. With Takehiro Tomiyasu also injured, this new setback is particularly troubling for Arsenal supporters. Fans are hopeful that the injury is not severe, given Calafiori’s impressive performance against one of the world’s top teams.
In the match against France, Calafiori completed 64 out of 67 passes, demonstrating a 94% accuracy rate. Defensively, he made four clearances, one interception, and one block, and executed all his long balls effectively.
Should Calafiori maintain this level of performance, he could soon make his first start for Arsenal, potentially even in the highly anticipated North London Derby, one of the season’s key fixtures. Time will tell if this becomes a reality.
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