Raya says Arsenal carry the pain of Paris into this season

David Raya has said Arsenal are using the pain of losing on penalties to Paris Saint-Germain in last year's Champions League final to make it better this year. The Spain goalkeeper said the experience is never going to be out of the system.

Raya said the defeat is something that is going to live with them, and that winning the Champions League is the way to get it out of them. He added that it has to be on the players to make it better this year. He has admitted he is haunted by that experience as PSG won back-to-back titles.

Raya produced an outstanding save to help Arsenal hold off Slavia Prague on Wednesday, a result that moved Mikel Arteta's side up to third in the league standings with 10 points from four matches. His diving stop to keep out Oskar Kubiak's header helped to make it 10 away games in Europe without defeat.

Raya, who missed out on the Yashin award for best goalkeeper at the Ballon d'Or to his Spain teammate Unai Simón, credited his self-belief as key to making extraordinary saves on a regular basis. He said that belief is really important but hard work is too. He said he works very hard during the week to try and help the team as much as possible on these types of nights.

Raya said it is the belief he has in himself, and the belief the staff and the goalie coach have in him and the team. He said that gives you that extra edge and motivation to keep doing it every single week, and that the consistency he has been playing with throughout the years is a key factor for us.

Last season Arsenal became the first team to win all eight league stage matches and made it to the final in Budapest. They will face Borussia Dortmund next at home this month before hosting Real Madrid on 9 December, a match that could be vital to finishing in the top two and ensuring the second leg of their first knockout tie and any that follow would be at the Emirates.