Calafiori looks forward to Tonali rivalry, eyes more trophies with Arsenal
Quick summary
Arsenal defender Riccardo Calafiori says he's looking forward to a Premier League rivalry with fellow Italian Sandro Tonali of Newcastle, while stressing Arsenal still have trophies to win.
Full article
Attributed to original sourceRiccardo 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.”
LONDON, ENGLAND – MAY 24: Riccardo Calafiori of Arsenal kisses the Premier League Trophy after their team’s victory in the Premier League match between Crystal Palace and Arsenal at Selhurst Park on May 24, 2026 in London, England. (Photo by Justin Setterfield/Getty Images) 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.”
Source attribution: this article content is based on the linked publisher feed/source. Chance adds independent soccer context, impact analysis, entity links, and related news.
What happened
In an interview, Italian international Riccardo Calafiori expressed enthusiasm about facing compatriot Sandro Tonali in the Premier League next season, framing it as a positive Italian-on-Italian rivalry. Calafiori, who joined Arsenal from Bologna, reiterated the club's ambition to add more silverware after last season's near-misses. The comments reinforce his commitment to the Arsenal project heading into the new campaign.
Chance analysis
This is a low-stakes feature interview with no tactical or injury information. It confirms Calafiori's mindset and integration at Arsenal, and adds a minor narrative subplot around the Calafiori–Tonali matchup whenever Arsenal face Newcastle. The trophy-ambition quote is standard preseason rhetoric rather than a meaningful signal. For prediction systems, the only marginal takeaway is confirmation that Calafiori is fit, available, and embedded in Arsenal's squad.
No direct impact on Arsenal's short-term performance; primarily reinforces squad morale and preseason narrative.
Treat as background noise; no actionable data for upcoming match prediction beyond confirming Calafiori's availability and positive mindset.