Arsenal defender William Saliba has quickly established himself as a crucial player for both his club and the French national team, significantly bolstering Arsenal’s defense since his debut in 2022.
His consistently strong performances have earned him a regular spot in France’s squad.
Saliba played a vital role during Euro 2024, contributing to France’s success and earning a place in the Team of the Tournament.
However, Saliba faced a difficult challenge in France’s recent match against Italy. On Friday, France suffered a tough 3-1 defeat at home.
The match started well for France, with Bradley Barcola scoring in the first minute.
But Italy soon responded, with Federico Dimarco equalizing around the 30-minute mark.
Italy then took the lead five minutes into the second half through Davide Frattesi and secured the win with Giacomo Raspadori’s goal in the 74th minute.
Saliba, alongside many of his usually reliable French teammates, struggled to make a significant impact.
Though he was not the worst player on the pitch, his performance received criticism from the French media.
Several outlets highlighted his difficulties in dealing with Italy’s attack, particularly on the third goal.
Eurosport rated Saliba 4 out of 10, noting that while he was more composed than some of his teammates, his performance was hampered by mistakes.
They commented, “He was cleaner and more confident in his interventions, sometimes holding the line well.
But beyond some unnecessary mistakes, what happened on the third goal? It seemed like he could have cleared the danger but didn’t.
That error overshadowed his overall performance.”
Maxifoot also rated Saliba 4, recognizing his solid showing at Euro 2024 but stating that he didn’t stand out in this match.
They acknowledged his strong duels in the first half against Italian forwards like Mateo Retegui and Lorenzo Pellegrini but noted that he struggled after halftime, especially during Raspadori’s goal when he was caught out of position.
Footmercato was even more critical, giving Saliba a rating of 3.
They compared his struggles to those of fellow defender Ibrahima Konate, suggesting that both players misjudged their individual marking assignments.
Although Saliba’s mistakes were less obvious than Konate’s, Footmercato noted he was far less composed than during Euro 2024.
They described it as a challenging match for France’s central defense, with Saliba failing in key moments, particularly during Italy’s third goal when he missed an opportunity to clear the ball effectively.
Despite this challenging performance, Saliba remains a vital player for both Arsenal and France.
The match against Italy served as a reminder that even top players can have off days, and Saliba will be eager to rebound in upcoming games.
