WATCH: Thierry Henry predicted Arsenal goalkeeper David Raya’s final save, walked away without watching
Written by Lucky Wilson | KJMM.COM on March 13, 2024
It took a penalty shootout for Arsenal to advance past Porto in the Champions League to punch their ticket to the last eight, and during that shootout, goalkeeper David Raya got his hand to three penalties, saving two of them while capping off an impressive night. Arsenal would win the shootout 4-2 after Leandro Trossard’s goal in regulation was enough to overturn the first-leg loss to Porto as the Gunners are now in the quarterfinals.
But during that final penalty save on Galeno’s take, Arsenal legend and CBS Sports analyst Thierry Henry said that the Porto man was going to miss his take and didn’t even watch it. He got up and started to walk away, filled with confidence that the game would be clinched.
“The way he picked up the ball, it looked suspicious to me, so I left,” Henry said about why he was so confident in the miss that was coming. And he was quite right.
Have a look:
It was quite an emotional day at the Emirates for Henry who left the club in 2007 to join Barcelona but had a chance to return briefly on loan from the New York Red Bulls in 2012. During that loan stay at Arsenal, Henry had an opportunity to close things out with the club by scoring versus Leeds United in the FA Cup. Always one to produce, not he’s doing it with predictions.
“It was a pretty special moment when I ran that way behind the corner flag [after scoring against Leeds], I never did that before and I ran into the arms of the boss, I don’t know where I was technically. I stood in that dressing room until one in the morning believe it or not, it was kind of weird,” Henry said reflecting on the goal.
“I left but my heart never left Arsenal. It’s true, I’m an Arsenal fan. People always say, ‘Why did you leave then?’ I’m a competitor first and foremost, and that will never change but I’m an Arsenal fan, and that will never change. When you love Arsenal you never leave Arsenal. It’s always gonna be in your heart and when I had the chance to come back, I felt like I connected with the fans again and I had the chance to leave with a goal against [Leeds] but I never had the chance to say bye … When I came back, I had a chance to connect with the fans once again, I knew I had a great connection with the fans. They knew when I was pissed, they knew when I was happy, they knew I wasn’t acting. I always had an understanding with the Arsenal fans and that will never change.”
It’s an impressive insight into Henry’s return to Arsenal to couple with him witnessing the club continue to march forward in both the Champions League and the Premier League. With his work with players in the squad like goalscorer Leandro Trossard as a former assistant for Belgium, his fingerprints are still on Arsenal to this day, just as they should be.
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