UEFA Champions League: Kai Havertz reserved special praise for goalkeeper David Raya, calling him ‘the best ‘keeper in the world,’ after his late strike secured a crucial first-leg advantage in the UEFA Champions League quarter-final.
Havertz struck deep into stoppage time to hand Arsenal FC a narrow win in Lisbon, but the German forward was quick to highlight Raya’s standout performance that ensured the visitors kept a clean sheet.
"He's unbelievable - I still think people underestimate him in the football world, but for the last two years, I don't know, maybe he's been the best 'keeper in the world and we're all glad to have him here,” Havertz was quoted by Arsenal.
The decisive goal came after a key contribution from substitute Gabriel Martinelli, who made an immediate impact off the bench with a perfectly weighted assist.
“I've said that about 80 per cent of the goal goes to him,” Havertz said afterwards. “I was there to finish it off. I but it was a top assist from him, I saw him and he just played the perfect pass and it was a good goal."
The strike marked yet another instance of Arsenal’s bench making a difference in Europe this season, underlining the squad’s depth at a critical stage of the competition.
The result also provided a timely boost for the London side following a difficult run of results domestically, with Havertz admitting the squad had been frustrated in recent weeks.
The strike marked yet another instance of Arsenal’s bench making a difference in Europe this season, underlining the squad’s depth at a critical stage of the competition.
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Arsenal will now carry a slender advantage into the return leg at the Emirates Stadium as they look to seal a place in the semi-finals.