Arsenal defender Riccardo Calafiori has voiced his frustration with London's traffic congestion, revealing that he has given up driving in the capital due to the slow and rule-abiding driving habits of locals. The Italian international, who joined the Gunners from Bologna in summer 2024 for a potential £42 million, now relies on a driver for his daily commute to training.
Speaking on the Supernova podcast, Calafiori said: 'I don't drive, but I get around with a driver. I prefer not to drive here. I don't have a car, but I can drive. I don't like how they drive here. They follow the rules too much and are a bit slow. Sometimes you see these big traffic jams for no reason.'
The 22-year-old lives in central London, far from most of his teammates who reside near the club's training ground in London Colney. His commute to the facility, located on the edge of the M25, takes approximately 50 minutes. 'I live quite far away from my team-mates; nobody lives where I live,' he added. 'Most of them have families and kids and live in houses near the training ground. I'm younger, and on my own, so I prefer living in the city.'
Despite being a rotation option at Arsenal, having started just over half of the club's Premier League matches this season, Calafiori has already expressed a desire to return to his boyhood club Roma. In an interview with Corriere dello Sport, he stated: 'I'd like to return to Roma sooner or later.' His previous stint at Roma yielded only 18 appearances before moves to Basel and Bologna revitalised his career.
