Calafiori injury update after Arsenal defender misses final game | OneFootball

After being pushed ahead of schedule to return, Calafiori is handed a break to prepare properly for next season.

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Riccardo Calafiori was conspicuously absent from Arsenal’s matchday squad for the final game of the Premier League season at Southampton, with Mikel Arteta confirming after the 2–1 win that the club had opted to give the Italian defender a much-needed rest following his accelerated return from injury.

The 232-year-old has endured a stop-start debut campaign in north London since arriving from Bologna last summer for €45m. Despite showing considerable promise during his 29 appearances, a succession of injuries have disrupted his rhythm, with the latest setback, a knee problem sustained on international duty, sidelining him for nearly 50 days.

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“We pushed Richy a lot to make sure that he was fit for the last few games and he was two, three weeks ahead of schedule in his injury,” said Arteta in his post-match press conference.

“He’s been constantly dragged into areas where he was really, really stretched and he wasn’t comfortable the last week or two. With a lot of things, he still wanted to carry on but we decided to give him a break.

“He needs a rest, he needs to now make sure that he has proper preparation, a clear pre-season and give him the best chance to have a successful season next season.”

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Across all competitions, Calafiori has played 1,497 minutes for the Gunners, scoring three goals and assisting twice.

His absence from the Southampton squad brings to a close a season in which he missed 26 matches for club and country due to three separate knee injuries, an undefined muscular issue and a calf strain.

Though he has picked up seven yellow cards, he has nonetheless impressed when he’s been on the pitch, both defensively and in his chaotic attacking contributions.