Raya's penalty heroics end debate over Arsenal No.1 spot
The Spain stopper dived full length to tip Wendell's spot kick onto his left-hand post and also saved from Galeno as Arsenal progressed to the last eight 4-2 on spot-kicks on Tuesday.
The dramatic shootout under the lights at the Emirates came with the teams locked at 1-1 on aggregate after extra time of a scrappy, tense encounter. Arsenal forward Leandro Trossard scored in the 41st minute to level the tie after Porto had won the first leg in Portugal with a last-gasp goal.
But neither side could find a winner as a Champions League knockout match went to penalties for the first time in eight years. Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta raised eyebrows when he brought Raya to the club on a loan deal from Brentford last August to compete with established number one Aaron Ramsdale.
There was a feeling in some quarters that there was no problem to fix - with England international Ramsdale a firm favourite among fans. Former England goalkeeper Ben Foster branded the decision to bring in Raya "pathetic", pointing out that Ramsdale was battling with Jordan Pickford for the country's number one jersey.
Former Manchester United defender Gary Neville said he was not a fan of competition for goalkeepers.
But Arteta had clearly seen something that prompted him to agree the season-long loan deal, with an option to make the move permanent for a reported £27 million.
Rayacaught the Arsenal manager's eye for his 77 percent save ratio - the highest in the Premier League in the 2022/23 season - and his ability with the ball at his feet, which is a key factor in the club's possession-based game.
Arteta was initially non-committal over who would be his first-choice goalkeeper, stressing the advantages of competition. But while Ramsdale, 25, started the
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