Riccardo Calafiori has found himself under fire from sections of the Italian media following Italy’s recent World Cup qualifier against Israel, but many fans and analysts believe the criticism has gone too far.
According to multiple Italian outlets, “He’s the one who gives our opponents their first big chance of the match, when he’s caught in a melee by Khalaili. He’s careless in covering his own area and fails to close down in a couple of situations on the runs of Gloukh and Baribo, who shoot too easily. He almost scores in the final minutes.”
That assessment paints a grim picture of the Arsenal defender’s night, but is it really accurate?
Well, NO, not really.
Calafiori may have had one or two less risky shaky moments, but pinning Italy’s defensive lapses on him alone seems exaggerated, or even agenda-driven. The numbers tell a very different story. Italy have conceded 8 goals in their World Cup qualifying group so far, but remarkably, seven of those came in the two matches Calafiori didn’t play.
That’s no coincidence.
The criticism came in the wake of the Israel clash, but those who actually watched the full 90 minutes will tell you something different. Calafiori looked composed for most of the game, displaying his usual calmness on the ball and solid positional awareness. He only made one mistake that got him dribbled past but apart from that he was solid.
In an era where young defenders are often judged harshly for every misstep, Calafiori’s performance deserves fairer evaluation. Rather than singling him out, perhaps the focus should be on how much more stable Italy look when he’s on the pitch.
Because if the stats, and the eye test, are anything to go by, Calafiori might just be one of Italy’s most reliable defenders right now.
