After a week full of frustration, Italian defender Riccardo Calafiori found relief when he helped Arsenal secure a victory over Sporting Lisbon in the first leg of the Champions League quarter-finals with a late goal from Kai Havertz.

This victory came after a series of consecutive defeats, both at the club level and following the Italian national team's failure to qualify for the World Cup for the third time in a row.

Calafiori said: "The situation was difficult, but that's the beauty of football. The situation is much better now."

He added, speaking about Arsenal's loss in the FA Cup against Southampton: "It was an opportunity to play after three days instead of staying at home and dwelling on it. Of course, I am very disappointed, but I have a lot to offer with Arsenal."

When asked about his feelings after Italy failed to qualify for the World Cup, he said: "In a way, yes, it gave me more motivation to succeed at the club level, but I am still sad and disappointed."

Calafiori continued: "The victory showed the team's identity that we might have lost recently, but we are back as I like. This was a beautiful match to return to, and we are already thinking about facing Bournemouth on Saturday, which is an opportunity to increase the lead at the top of the league to 12 points before Manchester City faces Chelsea."

He added, "Every match has become important now, and we must maintain our focus on each encounter."