Kai Havertz said Arsenal can still “win big titles” after the late win at Sporting CP, while also describing David Raya as the best goalkeeper in the world over the last two seasons
Kai Havertz believes Arsenal still have the chance to end the season with major honours after his late winner against Sporting CP, with the forward also paying glowing tribute to David Raya after the goalkeeper’s decisive Man of the Match contribution in Lisbon.
Havertz came off the bench to score in stoppage time and hand Arsenal a 1-0 win in the first leg of their Champions League quarter-final. It was a result that mattered not just because of the scoreline, but because of the timing. Arsenal had gone into the game on the back of consecutive defeats in the League Cup and FA Cup, and Havertz made clear afterwards that the performance felt like an important response. “Definitely a big turnaround for us because we lost the last two matches,” he said. “So we wanted to get a turnaround today and we made that happen.”
The Germany international also struck an upbeat note about the wider direction of the season. Rather than framing the win as a one-off recovery, he presented it as part of a bigger opportunity still open to Arsenal in the weeks ahead. “We stick together as a group, we have so much more to come this season,” he said. “Seven weeks to go, we can win big titles, and we’re going to go for that.”
That sense of unity was a major part of Havertz’s message. Arsenal have come through a difficult spell, but he made it clear that the squad still believe there is something significant to play for.
Havertz also made a point of shifting attention towards Raya, whose saves kept Arsenal level long enough for the late winner to matter. Sporting threatened early and again late on, but the Arsenal goalkeeper repeatedly stood firm. Havertz’s praise was emphatic. “Unbelievable,” he said. “I think he is still underestimated in the world of football, but for me, the last two seasons, the best keeper in the world. He’s outstanding. He has saved us so many times and we’re very glad to have him.”
Those comments echoed the sense that Arsenal’s win was built as much on resilience as on the final goal. Havertz supplied the finish that gave them a lead to protect in the second leg, but he was clear that Raya’s performance had been just as important to the outcome. For Arsenal, it was a night that restored momentum. For Havertz, the message afterwards was straightforward. The group are still together, still believe, and still think the biggest prizes remain within reach.