Raya: We improve every year in the Champions League and must strive to do better than last season

In the third round of the Premier League, Arsenal defeated Chelsea 2-1 at home. After the match, Arsenal goalkeeper David Raya spoke to reporters in the mixed zone.

Reporter: David, what does this victory show? What message does it send?

I think it is really important. Every win is crucial, especially at the start of the season. So I am very happy with our reaction after conceding the first goal. I think we could have done better originally, but the resilience we showed, the way we played and the determination to keep going until the end were incredible. So, as I said, getting these three points makes me very happy.

Reporter: Obviously, many people say defending the Premier League title is harder than winning it. But the team seems to have a new confidence and a real belief now. Do you feel that?

You know, last season is over. It is history now and it does not matter anymore. We have to focus on this season. We want to keep improving, be ourselves, keep enjoying football and continue bringing happiness to our fans. That is what we need to think about most. Take it step by step, live in the present and only focus on ourselves.

Reporter: And I have to say, you made a world-class save at the end. Otherwise the score would have been 2-2.

You know, I am just trying my best to help the team in every aspect. Today I stepped up and helped, and hopefully I can continue helping the team throughout the season.

Reporter: However, after achieving so much, does producing a performance like that and making such a save at a crucial moment still feel special?

Yes, of course. Personally, I am happy with my performance. I try to help the team as much as possible in both defence and attack. So that save was very important for keeping the lead. And I think we controlled the match extremely well in the final moments.

Reporter: David, you know how difficult it is to defend a title after winning it. Keeping the throne seems harder than claiming it. So to what extent was today's match a statement? It felt like one of the early big clashes of the season, and you showed your attitude.

We know how difficult it is to play against Chelsea, whether at home or away, so it is as important as every game in this league. I am very happy with the way we played and the character we showed throughout the match, and I think our performance was incredible. I am really, really satisfied with the team's performance.

Reporter: David, did you play today with a bit of arrogance or calm confidence? I mean, it felt like you were certain you would win. Martin (Odegaard) was excellent, Kai (Havertz) was excellent, and it was a wonderful contest today.

I think their performances... not just the two of them, but the whole team, the whole squad, not only the starting eleven. I think the players on the bench and those who were not selected are also very, very important for us. This season everyone will play a very, very important role, whether you are starting now or sitting on the bench. This is the squad depth we have. We have incredibly talented players and a great group of people around us, so this will be very, very important this season.

Reporter: David, I know you want to live in the present, but can you talk about how much confidence the Premier League title has given you? I was thinking about how tense it was watching at the end of last season, especially here. Today it felt like you knew you would win from the moment you stepped onto the pitch.

Of course, after so many years and those disappointments of coming close, winning the league title gives you that belief and extra confidence. Looking at our last three matches, especially the Community Shield win against Manchester City, the way we play has given us extra motivation and confidence to play our own football. Of course, winning the title last season was a relief, and it made these fans and everyone around the club very, very happy. Hopefully we can continue playing this way because we know how good we are and we know we can beat any opponent in this league. So, as you said, let's focus on the present and live in the moment.

Reporter: My final question, Arsenal's reaction to Rodgers' early goal was impressive. I mean, it felt like you were almost offended after conceding.

Yes, I think there are things to improve from that goal. I think we could have defended better, especially at the beginning of the match. So we were disappointed with conceding, but the most important thing was our reaction afterwards and the way we played—how we controlled the match, attacked and defended. We know how good Chelsea are, especially in transitions, so it was very, very important that the players recovered quickly. Hopefully we can continue like this and win more football matches.

Reporter: David, you play Napoli this Wednesday. You had the highest number of clean sheets in the Champions League last season. Do those Champions League nights feel different in terms of confidence? And how do you prepare for them?

Playing in the Champions League is a very, very special thing, but we cannot think too much about it. We cannot be affected by the occasion. We have to treat it as another normal game, focus on ourselves and focus on the present. We need to enjoy this level of competition, especially against a strong opponent like Napoli this Wednesday. So we just need to enjoy it, be ourselves and do our best to keep a clean sheet, as you said, because that will help us win more games.

Reporter: David, regarding the Champions League, many people would say you were so close to the title last season, and this year you are again among the favourites. How will the confidence from winning the Premier League title affect your Champions League campaign this season?

We improve every year in the Champions League. Especially because we had so many years without being in this competition, I think since returning to it we have really enjoyed it, and that is the most important thing. Enjoying this competition, it is the biggest club competition we can participate in. So as I said, we have to be ourselves, enjoy the present, enjoy every game, and in the end we will naturally see where we are. We just have to try to do better than last season, that is all.