A huge action of David Raya in the form of a double save on a penalty he took Mateo Retegui He saved Arsenal this Thursday (0-0) in Bergamo for his debut in the Champions League, a single brilliant intervention in a heated duel against the Atalanta in which there was no clear dominator and which ended in a goalless draw thanks to the Spanish goalkeeper.
Band He was clearly the hero of the evening in Bergamo. His double saving action determined the match. An extraordinary intervention in which he stopped the penalty and the rebound, bittering Retegui’s night, destroying the hopes of the Atalanta fans and giving strength to his team, also unable to harm the Italians in a very poor match of the two combined. It was one of the stages of the year. And we are in September.
Atalanta returns to the Champions League 3 years later through the front door. As Europa League champions and at home. This was done above all by an Arsenal that is fighting with Manchester City in England but is still looking for that continental confirmation that it still lacks. A cocktail that ended in a gray area, far from what the duel promised. A lot of respect, few chances and less success – from everyone except Raya – in a match between two of the teams with the most modern football in Europe.
Gasperini versus Arteta, a generational confrontation on the bench but with two attractive, determined and attractive football models, remained in a sort of gray area in which neither could express themselves as they usually do. They canceled each other out in attack and defense. Neither managed to be superior for a long time.
The Gunners started better. They seemed to be more settled in the green, more comfortable. And Carnesecchi’s double save in the 13th minute confirmed the positive feeling of the north Londoners. A free-kick from Saka from the edge of the area, very close to the post, forced the Italian goalkeeper to take a hand. And in the rebound, which Thomas Partey reached first, he had to intervene again under the sticks to save the furniture.
Far from slowing down the Italian team, this double chance stimulated the “Dea”. It was a progressive but constant reaction. So much so that it ended up being slightly superior in the first 45 minutes. And with a clear opportunity at the feet of Charles DE Ketelaere, who, after a nice combination with Retegui, sent his shot out of the right side of the area.
The ‘Dea’s’ slight superiority continued at the start of the second half, taking advantage of a mistake by Partey and a nice move by Ederson to score a penalty after virtually no contact.
The VAR reviewed the action, but did not correct the referee’s decision and Retegui assumed his responsibilities without knowing that this would be his sentence that night. Because Raya became a giant. He dressed as a hero, seeing. He stopped the shot low, to his right, guessing the intentions. Pure intuition. And he got up with agility to save Retegui’s header on the rebound on the line. Work and mentality, an elite reaction.
Two long-range shots from Cuadrado, on his debut with the Nereazzurra shirt, were the only solution that the “Dea” found against Arsenal’s blockade. A counter that Martinelli lost with 15 minutes to go was the only English threat. An extremely balanced duel. And a defeat for Arsenal that Raya saved.
😱😱😱😱😱😱😱
Stopping a penalty seemed like a small thing to him…
!!#UCL #LaCasaDelFutbol pic.twitter.com/oBiOD9P2DL– Football on Movistar Plus+ (@MovistarFutbol) September 19, 2024
