Arsenal favourite Calafiori says London driving is his biggest gripe

Arsenal fan favourite Riccardo Calafiori has described how London’s congestion and driving culture have upended his routine since moving from Serie A. The 23-year-old defender, who joined the Gunners from Bologna in 2024, said the capital’s traffic and local driving habits are harder to stomach than he expected.

Rather than owning a car, Calafiori prefers to travel with a driver because he finds the roads intolerable. London has consistently been ranked as one of the most congested megacities in the world, and he complained that motorists ‘‘follow the rules too much and are a bit slow,’’ adding: "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." Living in Central London has given him a different lifestyle to many team-mates, who tend to live nearer the training ground with families.

United Kingdom, London

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