Arteta reveals Arsenal star was ’emotional’ after fresh injury scare

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Mikel Arteta has shared insight into Arsenal’s summer signing Riccardo Calafiori’s emotional reaction after he suffered an injury scare in the Gunners’ 4-2 win over Leicester City. The Italian defender, who moved to the club from Bologna for £42 million in the summer, was allowed to make his second Premier League start in the game against the newly promoted Foxes.

Calafiori played the entire 90 minutes at the Emirates Stadium but showed signs of discomfort after Arsenal’s second goal. Later in the game he landed awkwardly while fighting for a header, causing concern as he clutched his left knee. This caused concern among fans, especially as the 21-year-old had previously suffered a serious injury to the same knee in 2018, which sidelined him for almost a year.

After the final whistle, Calafiori was seen leaving the stadium wearing a knee brace, heightening fears of a long-term setback. Reports from foreign media even suggested that the young defender was in tears in the dressing room, fearing that his previous injury might repeat itself.

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However, in his post-match press conference, Arteta tried to calm nerves and suggested the injury may not be as serious as initially thought.

He confirmed that Calafiori was “emotional” after the game, but also revealed that both the Italian defender and Ben White, who missed the Leicester game, are playing in Arsenal’s upcoming Champions League clash against Paris Saint-Germain could.

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“Those are the two players who are in the running,” Arteta said when asked about the duo’s availability for the midweek game. “We have to evaluate them today. We didn’t have any training yesterday. Of course Calafiori was a bit emotional after the game, but we’ll see how he feels today.”

When asked about Calafiori’s settling into the team since arriving in north London, Arteta praised the young defender’s commitment and positive attitude. “What impressed me most was how willing he is,” Arteta said.

“From the moment I spoke to him he knew he wanted to come here and he felt like this was the perfect fit for him. He always has a smile on his face and is personable. He is also a fighter who will do anything for the team. He has all those qualities.”

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