June 25th 2024.
Kai Havertz and David Raya, two teammates from Arsenal, have the potential to face each other in the quarter-finals of Euro 2024. However, Raya avoided any questions about the potential meeting, stating that their main focus at the moment is the last-16 stage of the tournament. Spain has been dominating in the group stage, winning all their matches against tough opponents like Croatia, Italy, and Albania without conceding a single goal. This has led to them being considered as one of the strongest teams in the competition, along with Germany who topped their own group.
While the last-16 matchups are still being determined, Spain is aware that they could face a third-placed team from groups A, D, E, or F, and potentially set themselves up for a quarter-final clash with Havertz and the German team. When asked about being seen as favorites by fans and experts, Raya humbly replied that their focus is on themselves and not getting caught up in outside opinions. He emphasized the strong bond and family-like atmosphere within the team, and how they are solely concentrating on the present moment, such as training and recovery.
Raya, who replaced Simon as the goalkeeper for Spain's final group game against Albania, may have had a tough end to his season at Arsenal, but he expressed his excitement and gratitude for being able to represent his country on such a big stage. He acknowledged that their season at Arsenal did not go as planned, but now their main priority is to help the national team succeed.
Meanwhile, Germany, the hosts of the tournament, have also advanced to the knockout phase after finishing first in their group. Raya revealed that he has spoken to a few of his Arsenal teammates who are also playing in the Euros, congratulating them on their performances. He mentioned running into Jorginho recently and staying in touch with their group.
Looking ahead to the potential quarter-final matchup with Havertz, Raya remained focused on the present and their upcoming game, not wanting to get ahead of himself. He stressed the importance of enjoying their win against Albania and then quickly turning their attention to training and recovery for their next match. Raya concluded by saying that their main focus is on the present and they will deal with any future matchups when the time comes.
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