David Raya, Arsenal’s goalkeeper, has revealed how the team prepared for their Champions League match against FC Porto in training, following his heroic performance during the penalty shootout. This victory marks Arsenal’s first appearance in the quarter-finals of UEFA’s elite club competition since the 2009/10 season, having previously been eliminated in the last 16 stage in their previous seven attempts between 2010/11 and 2016/17.
The tension was palpable at Emirates Stadium as Tuesday night’s match went into penalties. Porto had secured a 1-0 win in the first leg, but Martin Odegaard’s brilliant assist allowed Leandro Trossard to equalize on aggregate. Despite Arsenal’s dominance after Trossard’s 41st-minute goal, Porto resorted to time-wasting tactics, leading to the shootout.
Arsenal capitalized on Porto’s playacting as Raya saved two of their penalties, ultimately winning 4-2. The Gunners had a strоke of luck when Wendell’s spot-kιck Һit the post, but Raya made a superb dive to deny Galeno.
Although there were doubts about Raya’s touch on Wendell’s penalty before it Һit the post, the 28-year-old, on loan from Brentford, proved to be the hero by comfortably saving Galeno’s shot.
Raya acknowledged the team’s preparation for penalties, crediting their hard work in training with goalkeeping coach Inaki Cana Pavon. He expressed his joy at reaching the Champions League quarter-finals for the first time and praised the team’s overall performance throughout the match.
Caña and his colleagues had previously calculated the preferred shooting direction of every player on the opposing team and the percentage of times they shot the ball to the left, right, or center. Typically, goalkeepers would write this information on a water bottle placed next to the goal, but Raya did things differently. He memorized all the information in his head, and his conversations with Caña were merely to confirm what Raya already knew.
Raya would often stand in front of the player preparing to take a free kιck before retreating to his position, making them wait and observing them closely. During Galeno’s shot, Raya complained to the referee that the ball was not placed correctly and forced his counterpart to reset it for a second time.
“We’ve been working a lot on penalties this year just for nights like this. We need to be really, really good, and obviously, all the hard work with the goalie coach and the team paid off. It’s a great moment personally and collectively,” Raya said in an interview with TNT Sports 1 after the shootout.
Raya’s crucial saves and Arsenal’s meticulous preparation proved instrumental in securing their place in the Champions League quarter-finals.