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Since Fernandez\u2019s \u00a3107 million ($143m) switch from Benfica to Chelsea in February 2023, six weeks after his World Cup triumph, the Argentinian has endured a miserable time against Arsenal. The Blues, once the dominant London force, have found themselves repeatedly outclassed by Mikel Arteta\u2019s slick, fearless side. The numbers don\u2019t lie. Arsenal have lost just one of their last 12 meetings with Chelsea in all competitions, winning eight and drawing three.<\/p>\n
It\u2019s a complete reversal of fortunes. Not long ago, Chelsea were the bullies of London, smashing Arsenal in cup finals and league clashes alike. But under Mikel Arteta, the Gunners have flipped the script. Now it\u2019s Arsenal who dominate the derby, and Saliba is at the very heart of their new golden era. The towering Frenchman has become one of the most reliable defenders in Europe, elegant on the ball, ruthless in duels, and impossible to intimidate.<\/p>\n
Asked if he\u2019s already settled a score with Fernandez domestically, Saliba couldn\u2019t resist a sly smile. “So far, I haven\u2019t lost to him with Chelsea,” he said. “So, yes, I\u2019ve had revenge with Arsenal on Chelsea. But it\u2019s clear that, of course, when a team beats you, even if I hadn\u2019t played against Argentina because I was on the bench, it\u2019s the same thing. When a team beats you, the only thing you\u2019re waiting for is to play them again. And if we do things well and qualify, I think we\u2019ll have a way to get our revenge. Even if it\u2019s not what we want, to go to the World Cup and necessarily get our revenge, we just want to win. But if we come up against them [Argentina], of course, we\u2019ll be happy to get our revenge.”<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n