'We all exploded!' - Riccardo Calafiori labels Man City draw 'the best moment' of Premier League title success as Arsenal star gives insight into wild celebrations

Calafiori has opened up about the sheer scale of Arsenal's domestic title celebrations ahead of the Champions League final against Paris Saint-Germain this weekend.

The Gunners were officially crowned Premier League champions on May 19 after closest rivals City were held to a 1-1 draw at Bournemouth. Calafiori, who featured 26 times during a remarkable campaign, later lifted the trophy after a final-day 2-1 victory over Crystal Palace to finish seven points clear.

The versatile defender recalled the exact moment Mikel Arteta's squad realised they had finally crossed the finish line as champions. Speaking to la Repubblica, Calafiori said: "Winning the Premier League was one of my childhood dreams. And it was incredible, considering how the season went.

"The best moment was the final whistle of the Bournemouth-Manchester City match. We all exploded: the staff, the players. We were all together, wishing each other well. We felt lighter. The title had been missing for 22 years. Wandering around the city, I realised how important it was for the fans and the people."

Reflecting on his rapid integration into English football under Arteta's guidance, Calafiori added: "At the start of the season, speaking with Arteta, I realised how much he believed in me. It wasn't a given, I didn't even expect it. I came here to get out of my comfort zone. Adapting wasn't easy; it's a complicated league. But I would recommend it to many young Italians."

Calafiori attributes the squad's immense internal chemistry to the club's patient long-term structure and intense workload management. The north London side appointed Arteta in 2019 and had to endure a series of runner-up finishes before finally claiming the title this year. Dissecting the core differences between Serie A and the Premier League, Calafiori said: "In Italy, it's unthinkable to give time to a manager who doesn't win straight away.

"If there's such great chemistry at Arsenal, it's thanks to Arteta, but also to the club that knew how to wait. The same goes for me, I'd never spent two seasons at one club. When I arrived, I was a bit tired and I said to myself, 'I'll never play here.' The difference is in the weekly schedule and the workload. Here, we play sixty games a year, so training is focused on recovery. The idea is to always arrive at the match in the best possible shape. It's a matter of mentality."

The former Roma prospect will stand as the solitary Italian representative in Saturday's prestigious Champions League showpiece in Budapest. Looking forward to the massive continental test against French giants PSG, Calafiori said: "I'll have the chance to fly our flag high and try to win the trophy, in the year we didn't qualify for the World Cup.

"I used to play the Champions League finals on PlayStation with my best friend, Nicolo Cesaroni, who will be at the stadium to watch me. For now, I'm taking it very calmly. Then we'll see when I get on the plane. Opportunities like this only come around once in a lifetime, they have to be seized."