Julio Rodríguez Homers, J.P. Crawford Drives In Three And Mariners Beat Orioles 7-3 To Avoid Sweep
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)
Art By Vishnu Main Name ?1495456083Fd801bd82799bd3fe642de530cb23de1 Ap110112031056 Wide A361d1059879bea3681ab908d4113f686dfa528f S1400 C100 567d9f52933461.592284396c87c LDV1911 FR 932824X36 1000x1000 567d9f52933461.592284396c87c 640px Mona Lisa%2C By Leonardo Da Vinci%2C From C2RMF Retouched 140430 Mona Lisa Mn 741 Mona Lisa003 Dhm GettyImages 1318837532 Scaled 16539247278640 3482c2b2b25acbe55ac7e44fe0108fb8 Mona Lisa Oil Wood Panel Leonardo Da The Original Mona Lisa 57811475 605 GettyImages 1282821448 ?resize=300Mona Lisa Art Replica 798x1024 C4658884e56c6d68204c96ec7bcbfc56 051215 Monalisa Vmed 2p 1200px Mona Lisa%2C By Leonardo Da Vinci%2C From C2RMF Retouched The Mona Lisa Painting Chiaroscuro 1 Mona Lisa 759 GettyImages 944564060 The Mona Lisa Louvre Museum Paris Fab4b78ed07d80111d455461205d7cf2