David Raya, take a bow

There was once a time when Arsenal fans didn’t like David Raya. Didn’t like that he’d taken the number one jersey. Didn’t think he was one of the top goalkeepers. Well, Thursday night’s double save against Atalanta has surely by now changed everyone’s mind. Amy Lawrence was watching Arsenal come away with a hard earned point in Bergamo.

In the night’s other matches, Barcelona conspired to beat themselves, although Monaco helped as well. Leipzig lost in the last minute to Atletico Madrid. Bayer Leverkusen were purring in Rotterdam. But the story of the night goes to Brest, winners in their first ever European game.

Elsewhere we hear that all is not well with the Fifa Club World Cup.

And we look ahead to what’s set to be a thrilling season in the WSL.

Need something to read? Arsenal’s mad methods is seriously odd https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/5766723/2024/09/19/arteta-arsenalmethodology-balvers/

As is Adam Crafton’s detail on the FIFA Club World Cup TV crisis https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/5779549/2024/09/19/fifa-club-world-cup-broadcast-rights/

Email me with your thoughts it’s apaterson@theathletic.com

Host: Abi Paterson

With: Amy Lawrence, Seb Stafford Bloor, Megan Feringa

Producer: Steve Hankey

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