Arteta 'always convinced' by Raya after starring for Arsenal in Champions League win

Mikel Arteta said he has always been convinced by David Raya after the goalkeeper silenced his doubters by starring in Arsenal's Champions League last-16 knockout victory over Porto on Tuesday night.

With the tie level at 1-1 on aggregate after extra time at Emirates Stadium, penalties were required to determine who would advance to the quarter-finals. Up stepped Raya, who made two fine saves as Arsenal won the shoot-out 4-2 to progress to the last eight for the first time in 14 years.

The goalkeeper dived full stretch to deny Wendell and repeated the feat against Galeno, while the home side converted all four of their penalties as the decibel count soared.

It is the first time a Champions League match has been decided by penalties since the 2016 final between Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid.

Raya, on loan from Brentford ahead of a £30 million move at the end of the season, endured an unconvincing start to life at Arsenal, leading many observers to question why a new goalkeeper had been signed when Aaron Ramsdale had largely done well.

However, the Spaniard has become an increasingly assured presence in recent months, before his crowning moment against Porto on Tuesday night.

"I don’t have to see him today, I was very convinced that was going to be the case," Arsenal manager Arteta said when asked if Raya's performance had proved him right in making him his No 1.

"You see in the first few days here and what he had to go through and how he did it with that composure. You look at his body language, and the position that he takes, he doesn’t get very affected and that’s a key quality for a goalkeeper."

Trailing 1-0 from the first leg, Arteta's Premier League leaders, with 33 goals in their past eight league games, were not