Riccardo Calafiori is looking forward to renewing his rivalry with Sandro Tonali in England, and has set his sights on adding to Arsenal’s haul of silverware.
According to Tuttomercatoweb, the Italy defender welcomed the growing number of his compatriots in the Premier League, the latest being Marco Palestra.
“It gives me great pleasure,” Calafiori told Sky Sport. “With Sandro it’ll be a lovely derby, naturally I hope to win both. It’s nice to have him in the same city, even if we defend completely opposite colours. I wish him, Palestra and all the new arrivals the very best. Deep down, I feel a little less alone.”
Calafiori reflects on watching the World Cup from afar
The defender also spoke of following a World Cup that Italy did not reach.
“I experienced it in a particular way. I was busy and had partly decided to follow it less closely,” he said.
“But I couldn’t miss the semi-finals and the final, especially with so many of my team-mates involved. It was very emotional, it gave me a lot of drive and hope of one day qualifying with Italy for a major tournament.”
He recalled watching two matches in Buenos Aires and Rio, praising the all-consuming passion for football there and wishing Italy could rediscover the same.
Turning to his ambitions, Calafiori stressed the importance of staying fit. “My personal goal is always the same: to be available for the whole season,” he said.
“If I manage that, I can be really important for the team.” As for Arsenal, he is hungry for more: “We still have plenty of trophies to win. The aim is to at least match last season, if not do even better.”
