‘I’ve spent 14 years preparing for this’

David Raya says his long spell in English football has equipped him for Arsenal’s nervous push to the end of the season.

The 30-year-old goalkeeper is part of a Gunners side chasing the Premier League title while also preparing for a Champions League semi-final against Atletico Madrid.

“I haven’t just spent the last year preparing to compete for the Premier League and the Champions League; I’ve spent 14 years working and preparing for this,” Raya said.

“We know that Atletico are a great team; it’s going to be a very tough match in Madrid. We have to show that Arsenal are here to fight for a place in the final.”

Arsenal title race & Champions League challenge

Arsenal remain in the hunt for the Premier League title, sitting just ahead of Manchester City, although their rivals have a game in hand.

At the same time, Mikel Arteta’s side are balancing their European campaign, with a semi-final tie that could form part of a double for the North London club.

Raya’s form has been central to that push, with the goalkeeper on course to claim another Premier League Golden Glove.

Raya joined Arsenal initially on loan from Brentford in 2023 and has since established himself as the club’s first-choice goalkeeper.

He has kept 16 clean sheets in 34 appearances this season and credits a turning point early in his Arsenal career for his improvement.

“Against Luton in my first season at Arsenal, I played the worst game of my career, and from then on I made some changes in my life and things just went from strength to strength,” he said.

His journey in England began when he joined Blackburn Rovers as a teenager, a move he believes shaped both his career and personal development.

“What happened at Blackburn was like starting all over again, and in Spain it would have been incredibly difficult for me to reach the level I’m at now,” he said.