Atalanta defender Kolasinac excited to reunite with former Arsenal teammates

Kolasinac addressed the media this morning in anticipation of Thursday's Champions League kickoff.

A reunion?

"I'm happy to see my old teammates again, it's special, I'm happy to make my debut here in the Champions League tomorrow. It's always difficult to play against English teams, they are physically strong. We often watch the Premier League, we know that tomorrow will be difficult but we have prepared well and we will implement the plan we have prepared."

How do you rate the stadium?

"We saw the stadium as it is against Fiorentina, it's ready, there was a truly special atmosphere. It's difficult to make comparisons with English stadiums, every stadium is special in its own way. We can't wait to see our fans again tomorrow."

What kind of game do you expect?

"Arsenal won the derby against Tottenham, the team is confident regardless of the latest results. They have great players and are solid in defense, very dangerous from set pieces. The coach has prepared us well, we have to show on the pitch what our plan will be. We are facing a team with an excellent game plan, who can press you high. They manage to stay compact, we have studied them well. They are a young team."

How do you rate Mikel Arteta's work?

"I think he's doing a great job, he tries to put every minute of his time into the club and this is starting to show results. He's an extraordinary coach, very young, he still has a lot of room for growth. Saka is a fantastic player."