Italy boss calls Arsenal defender a 'leader' after first senior goal

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Riccardo Calafiori scored his first senior Italy goal on Monday night, and his national team head coach Roberto Mancini had plenty to say about the Arsenal defender afterwards.

Calafiori came off the bench in the second half of Italy's 3-1 win over Turkey and powered home a header from a free-kick to restore his side's lead. Gianluca Scamacca had opened the scoring before Aral Simsir equalised, with Pio Esposito adding a third late on.

The setting could hardly have been more fitting. The goal came at the Stadio Renato Dall'Ara, home of Bologna, the club Calafiori left in 2024 to join Arsenal in a deal worth £33.6million. It was his first return to the ground since that move.

Mancini: 'Already a leader'

Speaking after the match, Mancini delivered a glowing assessment of the 24-year-old.

"Riccardo Calafiori is already a leader, in technical, physical and intellectual terms, absolutely," the Italy boss said.

That verdict carries weight for Mikel Arteta, who has invested heavily in Calafiori's versatility since his arrival in north London. The defender has been used across the back line for the Gunners, and Mancini's description points to a player whose influence extends beyond his defensive output.

Calafiori credits Bonucci for the goal

The Arsenal man himself was emotional afterwards, and revealed he nearly wasn't in the box at all for the set-piece that produced his goal.

"Actually, I have to confess that Bonucci told me initially to stay back, but at the last second he went, 'actually you go and [Michael] Kayode stay behind'," Calafiori told Sky Sport Italia.

"It was a smart intuition and so Bonucci deserves a special mention, especially as he's quite egocentric and wants me to say that."

On the significance of scoring in Bologna, he added: "It was all written in the stars, as I made my debut here, scored my first goal, I owe a lot to this city and these fans. I wanted to repay them, it was emotional. I hadn't felt a game like this in my stomach for a long time, it really hit me, I was very emotional."

Calafiori also shared a pre-match prediction that proved accurate: "This afternoon, I had told Scamacca when we were sunbathing that he would score, and it went well, for both of us."

Back to club duty

Calafiori featured in three of Italy's four fixtures during the extended international window and is now due back at Arsenal's Sobha Realty Training Centre as club football resumes.

The Gunners host Leeds United on Saturday before welcoming Lille in the Champions League and then travelling to Nottingham Forest. With minutes in his legs and a goal to his name, Calafiori returns to London in form at a point where Arteta's side face three fixtures in quick succession across two competitions.