Mikel Arteta hails David Raya’s superb double save as ‘one of the best I’ve ever seen’ – as Atalanta boss calls Arsenal star a ‘cat’ after heroics saved point in Champions League clash

Mikel Arteta hailed David Raya’s miraculous double save as ‘one of the best I’ve seen in my career’ with Arsenal rescuing an unlikely point against Atalanta in the Champions League on Thursday night.

In the Gunners’ opening match of the competition, the score goalless, Raya had denied Mateo Retegui’s second-half penalty with a dive to his right-hand side, the ball rebounding back to Retegui.

The forward headed it goalwards but was denied again by the Spaniard, who miraculously sprung up to scoop the resulting effort off the line.

It left Atalanta manager Gian Piero Gasperini to compare Raya to a ‘cat’.

Arsenal next face title rivals Manchester City in the Premier League on Sunday.

Raya saved a second-half Mateo Retegui penalty and subsequent shot off the rebound 

Arteta said: ‘I witnessed two of the best saves that I have probably seen in my career, from David, to save us from that moment.

‘This season he has been exceptional. That save he made against (Aston) Villa, today (he) kept us in the game — that’s the reality. You need that from a goalkeeper at this level and I’m really happy that he’s in the form he is in at the moment.’

When asked about if Raya is the best goalkeeper in the world right now, he added: ‘I don’t know. I haven’t seen other goalkeepers, but at the moment he’s been exceptional for us that’s for sure.’

Raya put his heroics down to ‘luck’.

He said: ‘It was just a penalty and I was lucky to go the right way and save it. I was unlucky to get the rebound straight to him but I was just quick enough to get up and save the rebound.

Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta said it was ‘one of the best saves’ he’s seen in his whole career

The Gunners earned a point away in the Champions League as they drew 0-0 with Atalanta

‘It’s fantastic to be able to keep the clean-sheet to help the team at least get a point.’

On speaking to goalkeeping coach Inaki Cana on the sidelines before the penalty, Raya added: ‘I took the decision to go to the sidelines because it was a long wait and a long time to decide if it was a penalty or not.

‘So I just went to speak to the goalkeeping coach to have a more sense and way of where to go and where not to go, and what to do and what not to do.

‘He helped me a lot in every aspect so credit to him as well.’