UCL: Raya rescues Arsenal
Atalanta 0 - 0 Arsenal
David Raya pulled off a stunning double save from the penalty spot as Arsenal played out a draw against Atalanta in their Champions League opener.
The Spaniard dived low to his right to deny Mateo Retegui’s penalty, then somehow scrambled across his goal to keep out the striker’s follow-up header right on the line.
It was the only moment of excitement and quality in an otherwise forgettable match in Bergamo. Clear chances were hard to come by, with Raya not needing to make any other saves beyond that dramatic two-second sequence.
Arsenal, on the other hand, didn’t manage a single shot between the 18th and 75th minute. Like their opponents, their only two shots on target came as part of a double save. Atalanta's keeper, Marco Carnesecchi, tipped away Bukayo Saka’s free-kick and then blocked Thomas Partey’s close-range follow-up.
Champions League: 2024/2025 (eurosuperfootball.blogspot.com)
It looked as though the game might slip away from Arsenal when Thomas Partey clipped Atalanta’s Ederson on the left edge of the box, resulting in a penalty. After a lengthy VAR review, the decision stood.
During the wait, Raya consulted with Arsenal’s goalkeeping coach, Inaki Cana, a fellow Spaniard who had also coached him at Brentford. Whatever they discussed clearly paid off.
Retegui’s penalty wasn’t the most powerful, but Raya did well to dive and block it. The Italian forward then had an open goal for the rebound, but Raya, against all expectations, somehow managed to get across in time to claw the ball away just before it crossed the line. It was an incredible moment, one that saved Arsenal from defeat.
Could this prove to be an important point?
This match fell in the middle of a crucial week for the club, with Premier League fixtures against rivals Tottenham and reigning champions Manchester City on either side.
With the new Champions League format, it's harder to judge the significance of early results. However, Atalanta, last season's Europa League winners, are a strong side, so coming away with a point from their home ground is a respectable outcome.
