The 22-year-old defender, who was signed from Bologna for £42m, entered the match in the 64th minute to enthusiastic applause from the home crowd. He was already well-received, having been cheered on while warming up. Calafiori, known for his versatility, played initially at left-back, replacing Oleksandr Zinchenko, and then moved to centre-back for the last 14 minutes, demonstrating his adaptability—one of the key reasons manager Mikel Arteta was keen to sign him.
Arteta would have been pleased with Arsenal’s goals, both scored from Declan Rice’s corners in the first half. William Saliba and Gabriel each headed in goals, with their finishes so similar that fans dubbed them a “cheat code,” showcasing Arsenal’s continued strength in set-pieces. Last season, Arsenal led the Premier League with 16 goals from corners and 22 from set-pieces overall, a trend they seem poised to maintain.
The planned penalty shoot-out at the end was cancelled, with Arsenal instead celebrating by lifting the Emirates Cup and taking a lap of honor. The team is in excellent shape ahead of their Premier League opener against Wolves on Saturday, having avoided any serious injuries.
Jurrien Timber was absent due to a minor foot issue but is expected to be fit for the Wolves match. Fabio Vieira missed out with a hip injury, and Takehiro Tomiyasu is still sidelined with a knee problem.
Arteta’s starting lineup offered a glimpse of what might be seen next weekend, with Thomas Partey anchoring midfield and Gabriel Martinelli on the left wing, while Kai Havertz played as a No.9. Havertz had a quieter game compared to his standout performance in midfield against Bayer Leverkusen earlier in the week.
Arsenal took the lead in the ninth minute with Saliba heading in Rice’s lofted corner past Lyon’s goalkeeper, Lucas Perri. Bukayo Saka missed a couple of chances with headers, but Gabriel made it 2-0 with a simple finish from another Rice corner.
Martinelli had a few missed opportunities, including a missed one-on-one chance after a solo run from midfield. As the game wore on, Arteta made six substitutions in the 76th minute, bringing on Ethan Nwaneri, Jorginho, Jakub Kiwior, Myles Lewis-Skelly, Reiss Nelson, and Leandro Trossard.
