Sporting vice-captain singles out ‘extraordinary’ Arsenal star after Champions League exit

Sporting CP’s vice-captain Daniel Braganca singled out ‘extraordinary’ Arsenal goalkeeper David Raya after the Portuguese club’s Champions League exit.

Arsenal held a 1-0 advantage from the first leg in Lisbon last week and managed to secure their place in the Champions League semi-final with a goalless draw at the Emirates Stadium on Wednesday night.

Raya was named UEFA’s Player of the Match for his excellent performance in the first leg as his fine saves kept Sporting at bay.

The Spain international was only tested once by Sporting in the return leg on Wednesday evening but Braganca believes Arsenal’s goalkeeper was a key difference between the two sides.

‘Being eliminated for what we did hurts. It leaves a bitter taste after the game, because we could have scored and revived the tie,’ Braganca told Sport TV.

‘They also had opportunities but Arsenal have an extraordinary goalkeeper who makes the goal seem small.’

Meanwhile, Sporting head coach, Rui Borges, believes Arsenal were ‘lucky’ to progress to the Champions League semi-final.

‘I can’t say it hurts. It’s an infinite pride in the team’s personality and ability,’ Borges said.

‘I think in both games we were superior to Arsenal, they ended up being lucky with the goal at Alvalade and went through.

‘We showed character in both games, in this extraordinary atmosphere, our fans were also extraordinary. They deserved more but we have to leave with our heads held high, for the strength and joy they demonstrated.’

Elsewhere, Sporting captain, Morten Hjulmand, bemoaned Arsenal’s delaying tactics at set-pieces and claims it disrupted Sporting’s rhythm.

‘I think today was a balanced game. I think the impact of the first game, which we lost, made it harder to go to the Emirates and win, especially when we haven’t lost much at home. I knew it was going to be difficult here too but even so it was a game with little intensity, no rhythm, zero goals, boring, I’d say,’ Hjulmand told CBS Sports.

‘I think there were a lot of interruptions during the game, so we couldn’t get the rhythm we wanted. So, yes, a bit boring if I were a spectator. 0-0, and the first game was 1-0… that’s not how Sporting wants to show itself. We want to score goals, create opportunities and today we didn’t.

‘During the game I felt a lot of stoppages, especially on set-pieces, and that takes a lot of time away from the game and the rhythm as well.

‘When we managed to get into the rhythm, especially in the first half, I think we created many opportunities to make it 1-0. But, in the end, we didn’t create enough to win the game, to be honest.’

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