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David Raya was the star of the show, pulling off a stunning double save to help Arsenal grab a goalless draw against Atalanta BC in their UEFA Champions League opener at the Gewiss Stadium. While the match didn’t quite deliver the attacking thrills fans were hoping for, Raya’s heroics meant Mikel Arteta’s squad left Italy with a valuable point.
The first half was pretty quiet, with Arsenal looking a bit more dangerous early on. The only real excitement came when Bukayo Saka curled in a free-kick, forcing Atalanta keeper Marco Carnesecchi into a sharp save. After that, Arsenal got a bit cautious, and Atalanta started to take control, but neither side could create clear chances.
The second half brought the drama Arsenal fans dreaded. Just after the restart, Thomas Partey fouled Éderson in the box, and Atalanta got a penalty. Mateo Retegui stepped up, but Raya was ready, diving to deny him. Remarkably, when the ball came back to Retegui, Raya scrambled to make an incredible follow-up save, keeping Arsenal’s clean sheet intact.
That double save sparked some action. Atalanta brought on debutant Juan Cuadrado, whose long-range shots tested Raya again. For Arsenal, Raheem Sterling came on, making history as the first player to represent four different English clubs in the Champions League. He quickly set up Gabriel Martinelli, but the young winger blasted over, leaving fans frustrated.
Despite both teams pushing for a winner, it ended 0-0. Not the fireworks everyone wanted, but both managers will be happy enough. For Arsenal, a point away against a strong Atalanta side is solid, especially with a tough schedule ahead, including a Premier League clash with Manchester City and a Champions League match against Paris Saint-Germain.
Atalanta will be pleased with their performance, looking to build on this draw as they head to Germany to face Shakhtar Donetsk next.
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