Summary

  • Late Kai Havertz goal gives Arsenal slender advantage as Gunners beat Sporting in Lisbon

  • David Raya pulls off string of brilliant saves as Sporting lose their 100% home record in this season's competition

  • Bayern Munich beat Real Madrid 2-1 at the Bernabeu thanks to goals from Luis Diaz and Harry Kane

  • Liverpool prepare to face holders Paris St-Germain with pressure on head coach Arne Slot after 4-0 defeat by Manchester City in FA Cup

  • Get involved: Is Raya the best goalkeeper in the world? Let us know your views....

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Live Reporting

Written by Craig Nelson, Ben Ramsdale & Grace Wheeler.

  1. Recap: Wednesday morning's best bits

    That's your lot for today's whirlwind live page.

    We've been across reaction to Arsenal and Bayern Munich winning the first legs of their respective Champions League quarter-final ties.

    And you've been giving your thoughts on who you believe is the best goalkeeper in the world right now.

    Here are some of the best bits:

    Thanks for joining us today, see you same time, same place on Thursday when we will be reacting to Liverpool's Champions League quarter-final first leg at defending champions Paris St-Germain.

  2. Arsenal's Raya tops goalkeeping poll

    David RayaGetty Images

    Plenty of raised eyebrows this morning at the suggestion that Arsenal's David Raya could be the world's best goalkeeper, but the results of our poll show he is the clear favourite with readers of today's page.

    Near 25,000 of you had your say and this is how the podium finished up:

    • 39% - David Raya (Arsenal)
    • 19% - Thibaut Courtois (Real Madrid)
    • 10% - Gianluigi Donnarumma (Man City), Alisson Becker (Liverpool), Manuel Neuer (Bayern Munich)

  3. Raya 'absolutely superb'

    Sporting 0-1 Arsenal

    BBC 5 Live Breakfast

    Arsenal fan Trevor Hill also praised the performance of David Raya in goal:

    "He just changes us completely, David Raya. It's not just about his goalkeeping, it's about his control of that third of the field. I can't praise him enough for his performance last night. He produced a couple of fine saves to top it off. Absolutely superb last night."

  4. Get Involved - 'Raya has won absolutely nothing'

    Click 'Get Involved' to have your say

    Raya has had a good season but to be considered the best in the world so quickly? For me, Courtois has been the best over the last few years, with so many match-winning performances for Madrid. And of course, the legendary Neuer in the top 3 of all time!

    Abid

    Best in the world? Come on now... really? Yet more Arsenal delusion on show and stuff like this is precisely why their fanbase is mocked so much. Raya is competent and functional, that's it. He's not even top 10 in the world.

    Stu

    I don’t know how people think Raya is the best goal keeper in the world. He’s won absolutely nothing. He’s a very good goal keeper but nowhere near Courtois currently. At their peaks; Alisson, Neuer, De Gea, Schmeichel, Seaman, Cech and co were far superior.

    Kurt

  5. Fifa's best goalkeeper award winners

    Emiliano Martinez with his Fifa best goalkeeper awardGetty Images

    There have been eight different winners of Fifa's best goalkeeper award since its inception in 2017, with only one goalkeeper earning the accolade twice.

    Aston Villa's Emiliano Martinez won the award in both 2022 and 2024, while Manchester City's Gianluigi Donnarumma is the most recent winner following his performances with Paris St-Germain in 2024-25.

    Could David Raya be on course to be the next name on the list?

    • Gianluigi Buffon (2017)
    • Thibaut Courtois (2018)
    • Alisson Becker (2019)
    • Manuel Neuer (2020)
    • Edouard Mendy (2021)
    • Emiliano Martinez (2022)
    • Ederson (2023)
    • Emiliano Martinez (2024)
    • Gianluigi Donnarumma (2025)

  6. Get Involved - Donnarumma over Raya

    Click 'Get Involved' to have your say

    Raya is one of the best at the moment but I think Donnaruma is probably best

    Dominic

    I still think it is very close between Raya, Donnarumma and Courtois. The latter two had both proved it in late UCL rounds many times. Maybe this season, Raya can overtake them in terms of the big performances, like he has showed all season for Arsenal.

    Dave

  7. 'Raya made the difference for Arsenal last night'

    Sporting 0-1 Arsenal

    BBC 5 Live Breakfast

    More from John Murray who spoke to BBC Radio 5 Live this morning about David Raya: "Last night's game leads to the question of why didn't they [Arsenal] play the best goalkeeper [David Raya] in the League Cup final because he certainly made the difference for Arsenal last night."

    "There have been the accusations that this Arsenal team, under Arteta, haven't got the winning mentality and that they are 'bottlers'. But they have still got the potential of the Premier League/Champions League double and that would consign all of that 'bottler' talk."

    David RayaGetty Images

  8. Spain's battle for number one

    Unai SimonGetty Images

    While Ivan may be being a bit harsh there, he is right that Unai Simon is Spain's firm number one.

    The Athletic Club goalkeeper has 57 caps for his country and is two years younger than David Raya, who has picked up just 12 caps across his career so far.

    Raya faces a battle for the number two spot, let alone the number one spot, with Spain also having Barcelona's Joan Garcia emerging as an option. He recently made his debut for the national side and at just 24-years-old, has cemented himself as number one for Barcelona in his first season with the club.

    And that's without mentioning Real Sociedad's 31-year-old stopper Alex Remiro who has often been selected by Spain in recent years, though Raya is ahead of him with regard to caps.

    With all that said, can you really be considered the best in the world if you aren't the guaranteed number one for your national side?

  9. Get Involved - 'If Raya plays at the World Cup Spain won't come close'

    Click 'Get Involved' to have your say

    A lot of people don't watch Spain. Unai Simon is pivotal to the way Spain plays and was one of the main reasons Spain won the last Euros. If Raya plays in the World Cup, they won't come close to winning it.

    Ivan, London

    He’s not even the first choice goalkeeper for Spain let alone best in the world.

    Dave, London

    Of course Raya isn’t the best keeper in the world, stop being so ridiculously biased towards your beloved Arsenal. Raya isn’t even number 2 for Spain, let alone the best in the world.

    Gary, London

  10. Get Involved - 'Neuer is unrivalled'

    Click 'Get Involved' to have your say

    Anyone watching Real-Bayern last night would know that Neuer is unrivalled.

    Chris, Alfreton

    Wasn't even the best goalkeeper on the night Neuer at 40 was better.

    Matthew, Chester

    As a German who is also a Schalke fan, I had the privilege of seeing Manuel Neuer as an 18-year-old singlehandedly win a Champions League knockout game against Porto. Neuer is, after Messi and Zidane, the 3rd best player I've seen in my lifetime. Yes, he is THAT good.

    Nick, Shropshire

  11. 'Raya one of the best around'

    Sporting 0-1 Arsenal

    Theo Walcott
    Former Arsenal forward on Amazon Prime

    It shows the level David Raya plays at. It was incredible. I genuinely didn't feel like he got a touch at first. It's like everything slows down for him in goal and that's a good place to be for a goalkeeper. He's one of the best around right now.

  12. 'Arsenal are very happy to have his presence back'

    Sporting 0-1 Arsenal

    John Murray
    BBC football correspondent on the Football Daily podcast

    It was more than his involvement in those key points [the big saves against Sporting]. He had a presence and communication with Gabriel and Saliba. He knew when to go long and not take any unnecessary risk. He just made all the right calls and I think Arsenal are very happy to have his presence back.

    David RayaGetty Images

  13. Get Involved - 'Let us not pretend Raya is the best'

    Click 'Get Involved' to have your say

    Raya is a perfectly competent goalkeeper but let's not pretend he's the best goalkeeper in the world. Anyone coming in after Kepa has been in goal for two games is going to look like the best goalkeeper in the world.

    Dave

    David Raya is top quality but I think there are a fair few goalkeepers who are better at the moment. Donnarumma the best, but I’d also say Verbruggen is better, along with Joan García at Barça, Diogo Costa at Porto, Gregor Kobel at Dortmund, and Mile Svilar at Roma

    Rob

    Raya also has history of unnecessary patacake handling and dangerous distribution which presents gift scoring opportunities, as happened last night on at least one occasion ! Seems to be a trait of all the other "top" goalkeepers now though.

    Glenn

  14. Get Involved - 'Would not be out of two competitions had Raya played'

    Click 'Get Involved' to have your say

    David Raya has shown that’s he is the best goalkeeper in the Premier League and in the world should be Spains number one.

    Alan

    Raya is more than a great shot-stopper, Arsenals defence just looks so much surer with him in goal. Wouldn't be out of 2 comps in 2 games if he'd have started.

    Lewis

  15. 'Delighted with my performance'

    Sporting 0-1 Arsenal

    Arsenal

    David RayaGetty Images

    Arsenal goalkeeper David Raya, speaking to Amazon Prime, on the saves he made against Sporting: "It's something that I'm there for. I'm trying to help the team as much as possible in any single action, not just defending but commanding and on the ball. So delighted with my performance and, of course, the win."

    On his save from Maximiliano Araujo: "I think that's a turning moment. It was a quick transition from them, great strike but I managed to get a fingertip to it to hit the bar. It's one of those moments that can change games."

    On his seventh Champions League clean sheet this season: "That's something we've worked on a lot. It's so important for us, those clean sheets make it easier to win games. It showed tonight, scoring in the last minute and keeping that clean sheet decides those type of games."

    On if Arsenal can win the Champions League: "We believe 100% that we can win it. We go game by game and show what we can do. I think it is the first time in so many years that we play three quarter-finals in a row. So we just have to focus on the present, that's the most important thing, but of course we have full belief. If you don't believe then you're never going to win it."

  16. Right, back to David Raya's performance against Sporting.

    The Spaniard leads the way in our poll at the top of this page, with 40% suggesting he is currently the best goalkeeper in the world.

    Let's see what Raya had to say after being named player-of-the-match in Arsenal's 1-0 win in Lisbon...

  17. Real Madrid certainly missed Thibaut Courtois against Bayern Munich.

    The big Belgian picked up a quad muscle injury during their win over Manchester City in the last round of the Champions League and has not played since.

  18. Get Involved - Courtois over Raya?

    Click 'Get Involved' to have your say

    Courtois at points won Madrid games they had no business winning, I don’t think a goalkeeper has been as good as he is in the Champions League in recent history. It’s hard to say who’s the undeniable best, but Courtois will have the best highlight reel.

    Chris

    Courtois. Hands down. Done it over many years and in major games, finals, those things Arsenal struggle in.

    David

    I think Courtois is best in the world at the moment and has been for quite a few seasons. Just very unlucky with the defence he has in front of him. But at shot stopping and commanding his six-yard box...the man makes himself HUGE every one-on-one.

    Junaied

  19. 'We have earned the right to be confident'

    Real Madrid 1-2 Bayern Munich

    Bayern Munich

    Bayern Munich manager Vincent Kompany knows the job is not yet done and urged his players to maintain their focus for the return leg: "It's important to continue our momentum. They [Real] will give us a tough game, they are the type of team that can do something special, but so can we.

    "We have earned the right to be confident and be demanding in those games. But it's football, you never know."

    Vincent KompanyGetty Images

  20. Get Involved - 'I could see Bayern making the final'

    Click 'Get Involved' to have your say

    It feels like Bayern Munich have this season readdressed the shortcomings that have derailed their Champions League campaigns of the last five years since their last triumph in 2020. I could see Bayern make it to the Budapest final.

    Callum, Stafford