**Arsenal**have arrived at Athletic Club to start their next [**Champions League](https://www.vavel.com/en/data/champions-league)**campaign. David Raya is a staple figure of the side, and his "want to win" is greater than ever to reward the team's effort.
‘We have belief’
Despite the struggles of the squad to stay fit last season, **Arsenal**reached only their third **Champions League**semi-final in their history and the first since 2009. On the way, they beat Real Madrid home and away as the reigning champions, and the campaign left Raya feeling proud of his fellow players.
*“We did an incredible campaign last year. We were short. We lost against PSG, the holders of the Champions League. So, we want to aim higher this this season and that's what we want to do.”*
Going into his third **Champions League**campaign, the shot stopper has signalled his intentions.
“We have belief. We want to win. We are Arsenal and we play to win.”
However, he accepts that the journey to any major silverware this season will be long. The new format of the continental competition means that the Gunners must play at least 15 games to go all the way.
*“That's not a doubt. That's what we want to do and that's what we play football for. But right now we are in September, this is a long journey, a long season in the Champions League and in the Premier League. So we are just focusing on the present focus on the games and just go step by step.”*
‘It hurts a lot’
In the end, **Arsenal**bowed out of the final four of the **Champions League**to Paris Saint-Germain. Gianluigi Donnarumma denied Leandro Trossard, Martin Odegaard, and Gabriel Martinelli twice from close range across the two legs. He is already doing similar work in a **Man City**shirt.
“If you saw the game, that's your answer there. Sometimes it takes a little bit longer to settle into a club and into a league and then he played the first game yesterday and it's like he's been here for so many years and that tells you what goalkeeper he is, how good he is and the experience he has.”
The 26-year-old stalled on contract negotiations with the Parisians, and he exited the French capital after the club moved for Lucas Chevalier. But Raya insisted the Italian is a quality addition to the Citizens, and he has raised some of the standards for shot stoppers in the Premier League.
“It's so good to have those type of keepers in this league and playing against those keepers is a challenge. And boy, he's a joy to play against. He's one of the best in the in the world. So, I am just happy to have him in the Premier League and looking forward to play against him.”
No matter how things ended with PSG, Donnarumma can look back on his time in France with pride after winning the Champions League. It is a feeling that Raya wants himself sooner rather than later.
*“That it hurts a lot in the semi-final. That's one of the things that you learn, but you get more mature. This is the third year in a row we are in the Champions League. We went in the Champions League the last time in 2016 before this period. So we are so happy to be here. We are so happy to play this competition and we just have to take it game by game but it's just incredible to be here basically.”*