Several Arsenal players are currently representing their national teams during the international break, including William Saliba, Kai Havertz, Gabriel Magalhães, and Gabriel Martinelli.
Among them, Arsenal goalkeeper David Raya and midfielder Mikel Merino were in action for Spain on Friday in their Nations League clash against Denmark.
The match, held in Copenhagen, ended in a 2-1 victory for Spain, with Raya earning his ninth international cap and fifth consecutive start.
Raya’s performance garnered mixed reviews from Spanish media outlets. Marca, a leading publication, awarded him a 7.5/10 rating.
HeThey praised his calm and effective handling in the first half, particularly highlighting his effort to clear the game’s first corner: “He got his hand to clear the first corner of the match. Nothing too complicated in the first half.”
However, the second half saw a significant error from Raya, as noted by Marca: “A big error followed by another from Raya, who was passed the ball by Fabián without noticing Isaksen’s presence.
Raya tried to dribble past the striker, and before he could react, Denmark scored.
Fabián’s error was bigger. But Raya redeemed himself with a crucial save near the end to deny Denmark an equalizer.”
El Desmarque, another prominent outlet, offered Raya a slightly lower score of 6/10.
While they appreciated his composure and distribution skills throughout the game, they acknowledged his role in the incident leading to Denmark’s goal, which stemmed from Fabián’s initial mistake.
They remarked, *“Raya saved the win in stoppage time with a crucial stop against Skov Olsen,”* underscoring the importance of his late-game heroics in securing Spain’s lead.
Meanwhile, AS emphasized the pivotal role Raya played in Spain’s victory, focusing particularly on his critical save near the end of the match.
They noted: “He made a fantastic save to keep Spain ahead, deflecting Skov Olsen’s dangerous shot with his left foot onto the far post.”
This intervention was instrumental in preventing Denmark from equalizing and preserving Spain’s hard-fought victory.
Overall, while Raya’s performance featured a notable lapse that led to Denmark’s goal, his ability to make vital saves under pressure, particularly in the dying moments, demonstrated his resilience and quality as a goalkeeper.
His contribution was key to Spain’s success in what was a closely contested encounter.
For Arsenal fans, Raya’s mixed outing might signal areas for improvement, but his clutch save in a high-pressure situation showcased the skillset that earned him his spot in Spain’s starting lineup.
