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Calafiori Starts Champions League Opener vs Napoli in Naples

9/9/2026

27 6 Full Breakdown

Summary

Calafiori Champions Debut

Riccardo Calafiori will open his Champions League campaign against Napoli in Naples.
He started all four season matches, scoring one goal and providing two assists.
His performances earned a Premier League Player of the Month nomination.
The club won four straight games, including a Community Shield victory over Manchester City.
Calafiori says the squad feels confident and aims for a final in Madrid.

Summary

Calafiori Reinvents Role

Mikel Arteta deployed Calafiori as a left-back despite his centre-back background.
Calafiori’s under-lapping runs force opponents like Pedro Neto into a back five.
Arsenal data shows he covers 10 km per 90 minutes, up from 9.38 km at Bologna.
His high-speed running rose to 740 metres per 90 minutes, up from 540 metres in Serie A.
He touched the ball 23 times in the first half of the Chelsea match, creating space for Odegaard’s winner.

History

Historical Context

In 1999 Manchester United overturned a 1-0 deficit to beat Bayern Munich 2-1 in the Champions League final, a comeback that underscored the squad’s tactical flexibility. That flexibility, later cited when the 2014 rule change eased yellow-card suspensions, inspires Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta, who now fields centre-back Riccardo Calafiori at left-back against Chelsea.

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Calafiori Champions Debut

Riccardo Calafiori will open his Champions League campaign against Napoli in Naples.
He started all four season matches, scoring one goal and providing two assists.
His performances earned a Premier League Player of the Month nomination.
The club won four straight games, including a Community Shield victory over Manchester City.
Calafiori says the squad feels confident and aims for a final in Madrid.

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