Italy players in Premier League: Chiesa and Calafiori off the mark in Week 1 | OneFootball

Italy internationals Federico Chiesa and Riccardo Calafiori both found the back of the net in the opening round of 2025-26 Premier League fixtures, Guglielmo Vicario picked up his first clean sheet of the campaign, while Sandro Tonali had to settle for a draw against 10-man Aston Villa.

Here is a look at how the Italy players in the Premier League got on this weekend.

Chiesa and Calafiori hit the ground running

LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND – AUGUST 15: Mohamed Salah of Liverpool celebrates scoring his team’s fourth goal during the Premier League match between Liverpool and Bournemouth at Anfield on August 15, 2025 in Liverpool, England. (Photo by Michael Steele/Getty Images)

The 2025-26 Premier League campaign got underway with reigning champions Liverpool and their visit from AFC Bournemouth. Chiesa was named among the substitutes with Arne Slot going for an attacking line-up of Mohamed Salah, Florian Wirtz, Cody Gakpo and Hugo Ekitike instead.

The former Juventus winger emerged as a late substitute for Wirtz in the 82nd minute with the scores level at 2-2 at the time. Chiesa then appeared in the right place at the right time to slam home the eventual winner. Salah then capped off the comeback with Liverpool’s fourth of the evening in the 94th minute.

Then, on Sunday, Calafiori became the second Italy international to get off the mark in the Premier League.

MANCHESTER, ENGLAND – AUGUST 17: Riccardo Calafiori of Arsenal celebrates scoring his team’s first goal with teammate Declan Rice during the Premier League match between Manchester United and Arsenal at Old Trafford on August 17, 2025 in Manchester, England. (Photo by Michael Regan/Getty Images)

He lined up as a starter at left-back for Arsenal’s trip to Old Trafford to face Manchester United, and it took him just 13 minutes to find the back of the net from a Declan Rice corner.

Calafiori lasted 72 minutes before being replaced by England’s Myles Lewis-Skelly, but played a key role in helping Arsenal to a clean sheet, and more importantly the goal in an eventual 1-0 win.

Victorious Vicario, Udogie update

LONDON, ENGLAND – AUGUST 16: Guglielmo Vicario of Tottenham Hotspur celebrates his team’s second goal during the Premier League match between Tottenham Hotspur and Burnley at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on August 16, 2025 in London, England. (Photo by Julian Finney/Getty Images)

The two Italy internationals on the other side of North London celebrated a 3-0 win over Burnley on Saturday.

Vicario played in goal for Tottenham as usual, picking up his first clean sheet of the season.

Teammate Destiny Udogie is still recovering from a knee injury he picked up prior to a pre-season friendly against Luton Town, but is expected to return to training in the near future. Djed Spence started at left-back in the Italy international’s absence.

How the other Italy players got on this weekend

BIRMINGHAM, ENGLAND – AUGUST 16: Sandro Tonali of Newcastle looks on during the Premier League match between Aston Villa and Newcastle United at Villa Park on August 16, 2025 in Birmingham, England. (Photo by Dan Istitene/Getty Images)

Tonali played the full 90 minutes in a 0-0 draw away against Aston Villa, who played the last half hour with 10 men after a red card to Ezri Konsa.

Michael Kayode also played the full 90 minutes at right-back for Brentford in an eventual 3-1 loss against Nottingham Forest.

Diego Coppola was an unused substitute for Brighton & Hove Albion in their 1-1 draw with Fulham, serving as a back-up to regular starters Lewis Dunk and Jan Paul van Hecke.

BRIGHTON, ENGLAND – AUGUST 16: Diego Coppola of Brighton & Hove Albion in action during the warm up ahead of the Premier League match between Brighton & Hove Albion and Fulham at Amex Stadium on August 16, 2025 in Brighton, England. (Photo by Mike Hewitt/Getty Images)

Fellow young Italy centre-back Giovanni Leoni has recently completed his permanent transfer to Liverpool, but was not included in their squad for the 4-2 win over Bournemouth.

Emerson Palmieri is out of favour at West Ham, and recent reports claim that he is free to leave the club before the end of the summer transfer window. That meant that he was not part of the matchday squad for West Ham’s 3-0 loss against newly-promoted Sunderland.

Luca Koleosho was also not part of the matchday squad for Burnley’s 3-0 loss against Tottenham.

There is still one Italy representative left to play in the opening round of 2025-26 Premier League fixtures, as Wilfried Gnonto and Leeds United are set to host Everton at Elland Road on Monday night, kicking off at 20.00 BST.