Aston Villa captain admits Arsenal star’s power completely caught him off guard
Aston Villa captain John McGinn has singled out Arsenal defender Riccardo Calafiori as one of the toughest opponents he has faced, admitting the Italian’s physical strength caught him by surprise.
McGinn was asked on The Overlap to identify the best defender he has come up against during his career and ultimately narrowed his choices down to Calafiori and Manchester United’s Luke Shaw.
However, the Scotland international appeared particularly impressed by his experiences against Calafiori, who has established himself as an important player under Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta.
“Do you know who really surprised me? Calafiori,” McGinn said.
“Physically, Calafiori and Luke Shaw would be my two hardest opponents.
“Luke Shaw because I need to completely adapt my game [against him] and Calafiori was much stronger. I thought I was really impressed with him.”
The praise represents a significant endorsement for Calafiori considering McGinn’s extensive Premier League experience and reputation as one of the division’s most combative midfielders.
Calafiori has developed considerably since Arsenal signed him from Bologna in 2024, with his combination of physicality, technical quality and tactical versatility making him particularly suited to Arteta’s system.
The Italy international was an important member of the squad that finally ended Arsenal’s 22-year wait for the Premier League title last season, featuring 26 times during their championship-winning campaign.
His performances have also attracted praise beyond England, with former England manager Fabio Capello previously comparing his style and attacking ambition to a left-footed Sergio Ramos.
Calafiori has continued demonstrating his importance at the beginning of Arsenal’s title defence and immediately made an impact in their Premier League opener against Coventry City.
The 24-year-old provided the assist for Kai Havertz’s opening goal in last Friday’s 3-0 victory at the Emirates Stadium, combining effectively with summer signing Christos Tzolis before delivering the ball for the German.
His ability to operate both centrally and at left-back gives Arteta another valuable option within a defence that has become one of Arsenal’s biggest strengths.
McGinn’s comments underline another aspect of Calafiori’s game that can sometimes be overshadowed by his ability in possession.
For a player who regularly embraces physical battles himself, the Aston Villa captain being surprised by Calafiori’s strength is considerable praise for the Arsenal defender.
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