Bergamo (Italy): Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta admitted that David Raya’s double save during the goalless draw with Atalanta in their opening Champions League fixture was probably the best saves he has ever seen in his career.
Raya’s brilliant double save earned Arsenal a draw from a hard-fought contest at Atalanta. The Spanish shot-stopper produced lightning-like reflexes to keep out Mateo Retegui’s low penalty from 12 yards. He then managed to scoop the ball off the line and keep his sheet clean for the fourth time in five appearances.
“It’s probably one of the best saves I have seen in my career. He was unbelievable. Last year was already very impressive and really good, even with a different context. This season he has started exceptionally – the save he made against Villa, today he kept us in the game. That’s the reality,” said Arteta after the match.
“You need that from your keeper at this level. I’m really happy he’s in the form he’s in at the moment. The work with the goalkeeping coach, Inaki, he knew (which way to go) and they did the job and the execution of that first one was unbelievable. But the second one, I thought the ball was in so it was really similar to the Villa one.
“We signed him when he was already exceptional, but then you have to do it at this level and especially in the context of when he came in, it wasn’t easy at all, but he’s showing the kind of person he is and his role as a leader in the team. That’s very important,” he added.
Raya himself feels that his double save that secured a point against Atalanta was one of the best three he has made in his career.
He revealed that a chat with goalkeeping coach Inaki Cana during the lengthy VAR check helped give him the confidence to pull off the wonder save.
“The decision was taking a very, very long time so I decided to go to the bench and speak to him to be on the same page, and what things we could do to have a better chance to save, and it worked out.
“I saved it and then I was lucky enough to get up again and get the rebound, and then luckily enough then Declan I think it was managed to kick the ball for a corner, so obviously I’m delighted with the double save,” Raya said.
“I think this one is one of the top three in my career. Of course the Aston Villa got us to win the game and everything so that’s a little bit more special, but doing it in the Champions League is a dream,” he added.
–IANS
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