David Raya has unleashed praise from teammates and rivals after signing one of the best stops in the history of the Champions League. The goalkeeper of Arsenal He avoided his team’s defeat against Atalanta by saving the penalty and the subsequent rebound. His double save allowed the gunners scratch a point on your visit to Bergamo. But nothing happens by chance. The Spanish international revealed that this action is not only his merit, but also that of the London club’s goalkeeping coach, Iñaki Caña.
After the match, the goalkeeper revealed the secrets of what is already the best save in history. David Raya decided to go to the bench during the VAR consultation to chat with the goalkeeping coach and make a plan in case the penalty was finally taken. What happened next is now part of the Champions League history books.
«I made the decision to go to the bench during the VAR consultation because there was a long wait, so I spoke with the goalkeeping coach to be more certain about what to do. He helped me a lot in all aspects, so all credit to him too. He does all the work, so we give him credit for the stop too», the Spanish goalkeeper began by saying after the match, also highlighting the great work done by the goalkeeping coach.
The goalkeeper wanted to take away the merit of his save. In statements to TNT SportsRaya said that «It was just a penalty and I was lucky to go in the right direction and stop it.». Unfortunately, the rebound fell to the thrower himself, but he scrambled like a cat to prevent the ball from crossing the line: “I was unlucky that the rebound went directly to Retegui, but I was quick enough to get up and save the shot.».
Ultimately, the European champion with Spain was very happy to have been able to keep a clean sheet and save a very important point for his team: «It’s great to keep a clean sheet to help the team get at least one point.”
The “cat” David Raya
So much Mikel Arteta like Gian Piero Gaseprini surrendered to the Spanish goalkeeper for his spectacular save. The technician gunner He was amazed by the action and described it as “one of the best I’ve ever seen in my life”. Raya stretches perfectly to stop the penalty, but the rebound falls to the Atalanta footballer who hits the goal directly. When it seemed like the ball was going into the back of the net, suddenly the goalkeeper’s hand appeared to save it on the line in extremis.
“You need that from a goalkeeper of this level and I am very happy that he is in the form he is at the moment,” said Arteta, who in turn took the opportunity to remember David Raya’s save against Aston Villa a few weeks ago. But his coach was not the only one who praised him. GasperiniAtalanta coach, called the Spanish goalkeeper a “cat”: “It’s a cat. The first stop is good, but the rebound is incredible».
