David Raya finds 'scapegoat' after losing to Liverpool

After losing 0-1 to Liverpool in the third round, Arsenal goalkeeper David Raya blamed the Premier League match ball for Dominik Szoboszlai's free kick goal.

Goalkeeper Raya believes the new ball was the reason for Arsenal's defeat.

The 29-year-old Spanish goalkeeper was unable to keep out the Liverpool star's stunning 30-yard strike at Anfield. After dropping three points, he complained about the 2025/26 season's switch from Nike to Puma balls, echoing the criticism of manager Mikel Arteta, who also criticised the ball after Arsenal's defeat to Newcastle in the League Cup in January.

Raya admits that the Puma ball is different to the Nike ball, from the grip to the control when shooting, and that it takes time for players to adapt after years of playing with Nike balls. He believes this is fair for all teams, but Arsenal need to adjust quickly.

Szoboszlai's goal came in the 83rd minute, from a seemingly harmless long-range shot that left Raya helpless. The Spanish goalkeeper admitted his disappointment at not being able to save it, as he always does when conceding a goal. He said it was an excellent shot, the ball moved in a spin and curved out of reach, leaving him no time to adjust. Raya hopes that in future situations, when he gets used to the new type of ball, he will handle it better.

Arteta had previously expressed his dissatisfaction with the Puma ball when Arsenal lost 0-2 to Newcastle earlier this year. The Spanish coach complained that the ball flew too much, causing players to often shoot over the bar, and was completely different from the usual Premier League ball. He said that everything from the grip to the trajectory was different and forced teams to adapt.

Source: https://znews.vn/david-raya-tim-duoc-vat-te-than-sau-khi-thua-liverpool-post1581708.html