Silly question, but aren’t a penalty and a shootout kick the same thing? I put it to the newsroom on Saturday night, notebook open at the tab “weird rules”. I was told no. Well, yes. Well, it depends.
Here is what I wrote down. PSG won 1-3 at Strasbourg on matchday seven of Ligue 1. Ousmane Dembélé, 2025 Ballon d’Or winner, came on as a substitute and put his penalty wide of the target. On Wednesday, against Manchester City, Ferran Torres had his shot saved. The Saturday before, against Le Mans, it was Désiré Doué, saved too. Three penalties, three misses. This season the club has scored one.
Then I found the line that made me turn back a page. Over their last 19 attempts in competition, shootouts excluded, the two-time European champions have missed 9. But in penalty shootouts, they have won their last five, including the Champions League final against Arsenal.
I checked, and actually it’s the same spot, the same ball, the same distance. The only difference I can see is that in a shootout, everybody takes one. Maybe the secret is being five.
Luis Enrique told the press: “It’s true, we have a statistic that’s a bit hard to judge. But every time we’ve played in a final, we’ve had quality takers. We have lots of players who can take them, but it’s true that we’re missing a specialist player.” I looked up “penalty specialist” in the job descriptions. Goalkeeper, defender, midfielder, forward. No box.
In basketball, on free throws, everyone takes their own, I looked. Nobody is hired for it.
At my place, the specialist is whoever still has his boots on when the whistle goes.
The manager also named some candidates: “With Vitinha, Ousmane, there are lots of players who can take penalties.” So plenty of people can, but one is missing. I underlined that twice.
Anyway, I still have a lot to learn.
It’s true, we checked: RMC Sport.
