With the start of the knockout round, penalty shootouts will be an issue for all European Championship teams. The Italians are also preparing – with special tricks?
Before the European Championship round of 16 match against Switzerland, the Italian national football team has prepared for all eventualities. “I let in a few goals during penalty shootout training so that they wouldn’t be so depressed,” joked goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma about his teammates’ preparation before the match in Berlin’s Olympic Stadium on Saturday (6 p.m./RTL/Magenta TV). But it is important to practice penalty shootouts.
In the European Championship final that was won three years ago, the Paris Saint-Germain goalkeeper saved two penalties in the penalty shootout and was voted player of the tournament. His coach Luciano Spalletti would prefer to have decided the game against Switzerland beforehand. “It wouldn’t be ideal in terms of the way the game went if we had to go to a penalty shootout,” said the 65-year-old. You shouldn’t overdo the practice either, so as not to increase the pressure too much beforehand. “That could backfire,” said the coach.
Donnarumma’s counterpart Yann Sommer does not want to discuss the preferences of the possible Italian shooters before the match. He will only look at it together with the coaching team after extra time if it comes to that. “If that happens, we will be well prepared,” said the Inter Milan keeper, who previously played for Borussia Mönchengladbach and FC Bayern Munich.
Source: Stern
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