Men's Summer Transfer Grades: Chelsea Get A B+ For Dewsbury-Hall
By Fernando Kallas
STUTTGART, Germany, July 4 (Reuters) - Mental preparation and plenty of practice are the most important factors in taking a penalty, Germany midfielder Ilkay Gundogan said as his team gear up for Friday's Euro 2024 quarter-final clash against Spain.
Both teams are heavy favourites and have provided some of the best football in the tournament so far and their clash could come down to a penalty shootout.
Gundogan, 33, said on Thursday that the pressure of taking a penalty is not something that can be replicated in training, but that it's still important to be mentally prepared.
"The key word for me is routine. When you step on to take a penalty, the pressure that exists in a game it's just different than it was in training and obviously to replicate is very, very difficult. I don't believe that you can replicate it in training," Gundogan told a press conference.
"You can train your routine. You can train how you want to approach a penalty. Your breathing, how you get calm... The most crucial thing is to get calm, how to get your heartbeat down.
"Just try to be cool and enjoy the moment of taking a penalty. Which is the most difficult thing because, otherwise anyone would score a penalty."
Gundogan is one of Germany's most experienced players and has taken almost 20 penalties in a successful career between clubs like Borussia Dortmund and Manchester City.
However, he believed anyone who stepped up to take a spot kick should be lauded for their bravery and that even some of the game's greatest players do not always score.
"Even the best takers in the world miss," Gundogan said.
"I automatically think about someone like Harry Kane who has a finishing that is unbelievable but I also remember him missing quite a few penalties.
"So it’s just the circumstances at the end of the day. I missed a lot of penalties in my career so far as well. At the end of the day you just try your best. Sometimes it gets rewarded and you can do it in a better way and sometimes not.
"I think to have the guts to step on, to take a penalty in crucial moments, to show respect for it, even when you miss because it is a situation that is extraordinary and it is very difficult to deal with." (Reporting by Fernando Kallas Editing by Christian Radnedge)
Catchy Coffee Meeting Names 768x393 C7a03e71d7c6aaf8df6c9df53c1dae40 ?v=1683086484&width=480Il 1080xN.5099184567 Hahf Blog FeaturedImage 2022 10BestCoffeeMugsFor2023 OCT5 Lossy 1080x530 0cc49b416681b9009b73f5fa2894b1a5 The Coffee Table 2024 E1691231512728 Italian Coffee Shop Names.webp90b69ba3feda4e24300f2b00f5fb7a22 ?v=1683086429&width=11008 WOC 4638 1024x683 42c3400d A569 489c A11f 6db2b081182e? Mzcb= 1595266750469U5o00kzo1k80yohpd The Latest Coffee Trends In 2023 9f4185e3a5324ff81f214c5ba77a2311 Onrb1jobi5cc459ggh2ojwsxcxh7Www.nameschill.com 2022 11 26T141044.412 250 Best Best Coffee Shop Name Ideas For 2024 14122531?$PDP VIEWER IMAGE$602fe189ed2aef2630d3f9893eedb06d Coffee Shop Names 768x393 Coffee Shop Names.webp59df9bad39cb5d0f1a0a32d328cb7702 B34dd90f677aa8b4cdf6174bf66e6193 Whimsical Baby Names 2024 .webpAc2b87a40e4f5be616f3be065b6a56d9 7daf3c5074fe978cc34ed55b8df60a0c Il 1080xN.2832009868 Jvhq 02a7b9bea76c3d2c84eb0c3421101163ff8e90bc 00 00 Fe04dd5b05a27ffbab4e55a3f0f28f50 Best Coffee Shop Names Ideas Coffee Brand Names Ideas 192fa643107639660ea98a7b62b791f6 Best Names Boys Girls 2024 .webpCoffee Shop Name Ideas Concept 300x171 Coffee Shop Name Ideas 768x393 Catchy Coffee Shop Name Ideas 683x1024.webp83fcc1109d18f16888f2902634b8a21d