Arsenal let him go for free, now Emirates misfit scores in 6-1 Champions League win
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With former Arsenal, Chelsea, Everton and AC Milan featuring in this week’s 6-1 Champions League hammering, there is clearly always a way back for those willing to work for it.
Evergreen right-back Juan Cuadrado made only four Premier League starts in Chelsea colours but is still going strong seven years after departing Stamford Bridge via the back door, even at the ripe old age of 36.
That is still four more starts than Mario Pasalic – one of Europe’s most underrated goalscoring midfielders – managed in his own Chelsea spell.
And while Ademola Lookman was given a well-earned rest during Atalanta’s trip to BSC Young Boys in midweek, Ben Godfrey was handed a late run-out as La Dea ran riot in a 6-1 hammering.
Eyebrows were certainly raised, meanwhile, when Atalanta snapped up a balletic Belgian forward after Charles de Ketelaere endured a underwhelming stay with AC Milan. 18 goals and 20 assists later – no fewer than five of those coming at the Stadion Wankdorf on Tuesday – De Ketelaere is living proof of Gian Piero Gasperini’s remarkable penchant for turning damaged goods into dazzling works of art.
But if De Ketelaere was a fairly predictable name on Atalanta’s team sheet, the same certainly cannot be said of former Arsenal benchwarmer Sead Kolasinac.
Former Arsenal man Sead Kolasinac scores first Champions League goal
Bursting through to put Atalanta 4-1 up just past the half-hour mark, Kolasinac found himself in nosebleed territory. Not that you’d have guessed it, a defender without a single Champions League goal until he boarded that flight to Switzerlan coolly slotting home.
Kolasinac is finally off the mark in Europe’s premiere club competition after 18 appearances spread across four different Champions League campaigns.
One of numerous senior Arsenal players who departed the Emirates Stadium on free transfers relatively early in the Mikel Arteta era – now-departed sporting director Edu Gasper swinging the axe and reducing an eye-watering wage bill – Kolasinac is in the midst of a late-career resurgence at a time in which Mesut Ozil, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Douglas Luiz and Sokratis Papastathopoulos have either hung up their boots or continue to wind down their careers, out of sight out of mind.
Atalanta now eyeing Serie A success after Europa League triumph
“Here, many teams have suffered. So [to beat Young Boys 6-1 away from home] is a source of satisfaction for us,” beams Gasperini, Atalanta celebrating another famous continental sojourn six months after stunning Bayer Leverkusen in that Europa League final.
“[We have secured] away victories, on difficult pitches, with full stadiums. Even more credit to the lads.”
After starting on the most famous night in Atalanta’s history – Ademola Lookman earned a Ballon D’Or nomination after firing La Dea to their first ever major trophy in May – a flying start to the Serie A season and three wins out of five in the Champions League means even greater days could be on the way for Sead Kolasinac.
Clearly, the decision taken back in 2022 for Arsenal and Kolasinac to part ways was a good one for all involved.
