David Raya has revealed the fiery words Gabriel Magalhaes hurled at him following a thrilling 2-2 draw with Wolves last season, which looked to be a costly game for Arsenal.
What Gabriel said to Raya
The incident became a footnote when Arsenal went on to win the Premier League title. It was a frustrating day for the players and fans at the time, however, as Wolves overturned a two-goal deficit to grab a late point. The visitors’ last-gasp equaliser was another rare weakness in an otherwise impregnable defence.
Cameras caught the pair shouting at each other on the pitch afterwards, and Raya has now explained what was said. Speaking on the Beyond The Box podcast, the goalkeeper claimed Gabriel snapped: “Just f****** drop me over, just k*ll me!” I don’t care!”
The outburst was the heat-of-the-moment reaction of a mix-up between the goalkeeper and centre-back. According to Raya, he was cool with the whole situation, being the player that he was: ‘It could be my fault for dropping the ball or maybe Gabriel’s for not getting out of the way. I think that’s just how it is in football. You can’t always explain every little thing. I’m sure that the disagreement never got personal.’
Arsenal bounce back in style
The incident didn’t mar their season, though. In fact, it was a perfect response when they crushed Spurs 4-1 in their next match. So even though there were issues with their behaviour during this particular game, you can clearly see the maturity these players possess inside the dressing rooms.
It wasn’t all smooth sailing for them. There have been problems in terms of their matches too. They lost to both Bournemouth and Manchester City, but they bounced back every time. They came out successful at the end of the season, taking home the coveted league title after a wait of no less than 22 years!
A partnership that delivers
For Raya’s part, he has been integral throughout his time with the Gunners, while Gabriel has enjoyed what has proved to be an outstanding campaign, which was the catalyst for their title victory.
Not only did they play an integral role in the team winning just its second-ever Champions League final, but their performances have been key to the club achieving this dramatic run on course.
The Wolves’ flashpoint illustrates the pressure placed upon those involved as well as the value Arsenal players place on each dropped point but above all else shows the dressing room is capable of handling rows between some of its most important figures. In short, it showcases the competitiveness behind Arsenal reaching the summit.
Perhaps there were some words exchanged on the pitch that day between Raya and Gabriel, but there’s also evidence of just how well they work together on the pitch.
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