Arsenal goalkeeper David Raya was hailed as the world’s best by teammate Kai Havertz after his heroics helped the Gunners beat Sporting 1-0 in the first leg of their Champions League quarter-final.
Havertz scored the late winner in the 91st minute, controlling a pass from Gabriel Martinelli and finishing calmly, but he was quick to credit Raya for keeping a clean sheet. The Spain international made a string of crucial saves, including a stunning fingertip stop to deny Maxi Araujo and a brilliant near-post save against Geny Catamo.
Manager Mikel Arteta also praised Raya, calling his performance “extraordinary” and highlighting the goalkeeper’s influence in high-stakes matches. “The Champions League is always decided in the boxes because of the quality involved,” Arteta told Amazon Prime. “At the moment, he’s phenomenal. We are very lucky to have him.”
Raya himself described his early save from Araujo as a turning point. “It was a quick transition and a great strike, but I managed to get a fingertip to it to hit the bar. Moments like that can change games,” he said. Raya also impressed with his composure in possession, completing 26 of 28 passes and heading away a long ball to prevent a Sporting counterattack.
Arteta noted Raya’s all-around role in modern football, praising his courage, technical skill, and ability to adapt. “The goalkeeper’s position has evolved rapidly,” he said. “With David’s qualities and determination, he reaches another level.”
Raya’s statistics underline his growing reputation. In the Champions League since last season, he has kept 13 clean sheets in 23 games, conceded only 12 goals from shots worth 21.07 expected goals, and prevented over nine goals above expectation – figures unmatched by any other goalkeeper in the competition. In the Premier League, he has the most clean sheets this season with 15 and has made just one error leading to a goal in 69 games across two campaigns.
As Arsenal prepare for next week’s second leg, Raya’s outstanding form could be decisive in their quest to win the Champions League for the first time, reinforcing his status as a world-class goalkeeper.
Source: Sky sports