Rafael van der Vaart didn’t hold back in his critique of David Raya, the goalkeeper for Arsenal, following his failure to stop Harry Kane’s penalty during the UEFA Champions League quarter-final clash on Tuesday, April 9.
Despite Bukayo Saka providing Arsenal with an important lead at the Emirates Stadium in the 12th minute, former Arsenal player Serge Gnabry quickly equalized just six minutes later.
Leroy Sane’s quick footwork resulted in a penalty for Bayern Munich around the half-hour mark, with Harry Kane taking the spot-kick.
Despite Kane’s penalty not being particularly deceptive in its approach, Raya dove prematurely to his right side, leaving the net unguarded for Kane to calmly slot the ball in.
Van der Vaart, who represented Tottenham Hotspur from 2010 to 2012, expressed disappointment at Raya’s perceived error, raising questions about the Spanish goalkeeper’s abilities and criticizing his early dive.
Despite Raya’s efforts, he ended the match without making any saves.
Although Leandro Trossard managed to secure a 2-2 draw for Arsenal with a goal in the 76th minute, it fell short of securing their first knockout win against Bayern Munich since the 2012-13 season.
In another development, former England defender Matthew Upson also scrutinized David Raya for his involvement in Bayern Munich’s opening goal against Arsenal.
A seemingly innocuous aerial ball from Bayern into Arsenal’s defensive third led to Raya venturing far off his line, pressuring Gabriel Magalhaes into a hurried forward pass that was intercepted by Bayern.
Bayern took advantage of the turnover by swiftly advancing forward, ultimately releasing Serge Gnabry through on goal with precise passes.
Gnabry’s first-time shot struck Raya’s left leg before finding the back of the net.
Reflecting on the sequence, Upson highlighted Raya’s mistake, underscoring Arsenal’s defensive shortcomings and the subsequent consequences they faced.
Arsenal acquired Raya’s services from Brentford last summer initially on a £3 million loan deal, with an option to make the transfer permanent for £27 million.
Known for his ball-playing skills, Raya has displaced Aaron Ramsdale as Mikel Arteta’s preferred goalkeeper, making 33 appearances across competitions this season and keeping 16 clean sheets.
