LATEST NEWS: Arsenal goalkeeper David Raya made a notable move before his remarkable double-save against Atalanta.
David Raya was seen in a detailed discussion with Arsenal’s goalkeeper coach, Inaki Cana, shortly before pulling off an extraordinary double-save to prevent Atalanta from taking the lead. Arsenal began their Champions League journey with a visit to the Gewiss Stadium in Bergamo on Thursday evening.
Early in the second half, Atalanta’s Ederson was fouled by Thomas Partey inside Arsenal’s penalty box, leading the referee to immediately award a penalty. As the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) reviewed the decision, Raya was seen receiving tactical instructions from his coach on the sidelines.
The VAR confirmed the penalty, and Atalanta’s striker Mateo Retegui stepped up to take the spot-kick. Raya managed to block Retegui’s penalty, but the ball bounced back to the forward’s feet. As Retegui attempted to head the rebound into the net, Raya reacted swiftly, leaping to his feet and making a stunning reflex save to keep the ball out. He clawed the ball off the line, and Declan Rice quickly cleared it for a corner.
Earlier in the season, Raya had made a similarly impressive save in Arsenal’s 2-0 victory over Aston Villa. During that match, Ollie Watkins headed what looked like a certain goal, but Raya pulled off a spectacular save, much like his effort against Retegui.
Reflecting on that Villa save, Raya told Sky Sports, “It was a crucial moment in the game… I remember a shot coming from outside the box, and as I was on the ground, I saw the ball coming back into play. I just saw Ollie coming in, and I reacted as fast as I could, got my hand out, and luckily, nobody was around. It was a fantastic save.”
After the Aston Villa match, Mikel Arteta admitted he thought Watkins had scored before Raya’s remarkable save. “I thought it was a goal,” Arteta said. “When the ball hit the crossbar, the defensive line didn’t react, and I was thinking, ‘No, please.’ When I saw the striker in that position, normally it’s a goal. David’s reaction was unbelievable.”