At a Glance:
Arsenal will be without Ben White and potentially Jurrien Timber for the Champions League final.
Mikel Arteta therefore has a selection headache at right-back.
The Gunners boss should lean into what has worked in this role in the past.
Arsenal may be without both Ben White and Jurrien Timber for the Champions League final against Paris Saint-Germain later this month, and Mikel Arteta subsequently needs to find an inventive solution at right-back.
The Gunners travel to Budapest after navigating their way past Bayer Leverkusen, Sporting CP and Atletico Madrid in the previous three knockout rounds. While they’ll be minor underdogs when they face PSG at the Puskas Arena, Arteta will be confident that his team’s resolute defence can negate Luis Enrique’s electric attacking cohort.
That said, the major defensive issue staring Arteta in the face could significantly hinder Arsenal’s ability to keep the Parisians out.
Riccardo Calafiori thrived at right-back vs PSG last season
Ben White is out for the season after suffering an MCL injury against West Ham on Sunday. The England defender will miss the showdown in Hungary, while he’s also a doubt for this summer’s World Cup.
Meanwhile, Jurrien Timber could make it back in time to feature in the final, although the Dutchman would be rushing back and likely can’t deliver his best level for 90 minutes in a game of this magnitude.
Cristhian Mosquera is the natural replacement for the aforementioned right-backs. That said, the Spaniard’s inexperience and inability to defend isolated wide areas mean Arteta may look for a slightly more unconventional option.
Piero Hincapie is a candidate, given his excellent one-on-one defensive instincts, although the Ecuadorian is likely to inhibit Arsenal’s ball progression down the right side in this role.
Thus, Arteta should consider something else, and he should look no further than Riccardo Calafiori. During Arsenal’s 2-0 win over PSG back in October 2024, the Italian spent 45 minutes at right-back.
Timber went off as a precautionary measure at half-time, and with White and Takehiro Tomiyasu both injured, Arteta called upon Calafiori to play out of position. The injury-prone star delivered, producing an accomplished display up against Bradely Barcola that night.
Not only did he lock the French winger down, but he also continued to contribute to Arsenal’s attack in the inventive ways he usually does, despite being deployed on his wrong side. Arteta should look at this as the blueprint for the final, knowing that Calafiori can do both the defensive side of the game against Khvicha Kvaratskhelia and contribute in the final third.
What Mikel Arteta said about Riccardo Calafiori at right-back
Arteta hinted that he might try something different at right-back against PSG in his press conference on Thursday.
“We need to look at alternatives,” he said.
“The two players that we have there are not available at the moment. We need to look and do something else. The good thing is that we have experienced that all over the pitch this season.
“When we had issues, normally, they’ve been in the same positions as well. We have managed to find the right level of performance and consistency. I’m sure we will do that.”
The Spaniard was then pressed on the possibility of using Calafiori in this position, given what he produced in that victory over PSG 18 months ago. The Gunners boss was coy on this possibility, stating that because the sample size is so small, he can’t be definitive about it.
“Well, I think the sample is so tiny, you know, so it’s very difficult to judge a player when he had some low minutes,” he said.
“The same when we played Thomas Partey, we had some really good moments, some others when you don’t win, and it’s because Thomas plays as a full-back. Declan Rice, when he’s played as a full-back against Brighton, he was exceptional.
“But then the other night, it was something else. It depends. I mean, the sample is still so little. It will remain so little from here to the end of the season to judge whether a player is good enough or can perform in the position.
“And what is the cost of moving that player from one position to the other? And that’s the balance that we need to try to find.”