The Italy international opened his Gunners account in outrageous fashion to equalise against Manchester City in September’s 2-2 draw, finding the top corner with a first-time left-foot hit that was always curling away from goalkeeper Edison.
So pure was the strike that the full-back’s arms went up in expectation before the net had even rippled. He then made a beeline for the touchline, aggressively pointing at nobody in particular before jumping on top of manager Mikel Arteta.
Speaking to BBC Football Focus about his debut, he reflected: “You couldn’t play a more difficult game than this.
“When he [Martinelli] played the ball to me, I just say now I want to shoot in the top bins, you call it like this? Or in the corner.
“I don’t know, it’s not myself who run to Arteta, it was another person, I don’t know. And I was kept doing this [pointing] but I don’t know to who, I swear. I was like blank.
“Yeah, I’m embarrassed. What have I done? What have I done?”
It was very funny, to be fair. While the gaffer was delighted to see the ball go in, he did seem somewhat taken aback by the new boy’s eagerness to share an embrace.
Anyway, keep it up Riccardo, more of these embarrassing moments, please.
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You can watch Gooner Ronan Kemp’s full Football Focus feature with Riccardo here.
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