Riccardo Calafiori reflects on Max Dowman’s impact as Mikel Arteta’s side bid to reach the Champions League quarter-finals
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ven the man who Mikel Arteta has described as his chief “chaos creator” almost found things a bit too much. Riccardo Calafiori was in the thick of the celebrations after Max Dowman’s historic late goal to clinch victory over Everton on Saturday as Arsenal’s players mobbed him by the corner flag at the Emirates after the six touches that changed the 16-year-old’s life forever.
In all the excitement, Kai Havertz borrowed a pair of glasses from a more than willing supporter and waved them in the air before politely returning them in what Calafiori described as the best moment of Arsenal’s season so far. “We were all so happy. We ran towards him and the fans,” the Italy defender said. “It was almost a fight with the fans – in a nice way, obviously. It was amazing.”
Calafiori had already played his part in the victory that took Arsenal nine points clear of Manchester City by producing an unbelievable acrobatic block to keep out a shot from Dwight McNeil. It left David Moyes in awe afterwards and the 23-year-old is convinced Arsenal are on course to make this a season to remember for more reasons than one. “I believe that with these small things, big things normally happen, something big is going to happen,” Calafiori said before the second leg of Arsenal’s Champions League last-16 tie against Bayer Leverkusen on Tuesday.
