Guardiola not stressing over potential UCL final penalty shootout

Pep Guardiola insists he has not been thinking too much about the prospect of a penalty shootout potentially being needed to decide Saturday’s Champions League Final between Manchester City and Chelsea.

Wednesday night’s Europa League Final featured an epic shootout that saw 21 successive spot-kicks scored before Manchester United goalkeeper David De Gea had his effort crucially denied by Villarreal counterpart Geronimo Rulli in dramatic scenes in Gdansk.

Missed penalties have been something of a concern for City in the Premier League dating back to the start of last season, with the departing Sergio Aguero left red-faced in the 2-1 home top-flight defeat by Chelsea earlier this month when a cheeky Panenka attempt was easily saved by Blues goalkeeper Edouard Mendy.

However, considering a possible shootout has not been top of Guardiola’s agenda leading into a hotly anticipated all-English showdown at Porto’s Estadio do Dragao.

🏟️ Estádio do Dragão, Porto

The stage is set 😍#UCL | #UCLfinal pic.twitter.com/Bnx11fHYpP

— UEFA Champions League (@ChampionsLeague) May 28, 2021

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“We can train the penalties but you can not apply the tension when it happens for real,” Guardiola said at Friday’s pre-final press conference.

“I will talk to the players and I know what I will tell them but I’ve had a few things to think about more than the penalty shootout.”