This article contains adult content that may be inappropriate for minors. Please confirm that you are 18 years or older to continue. This article contains images or details that some readers may find disturbing. Reader discretion is advised. After the 4-0 thrashing of Nice, in which Nuno Mendes opened the scoring from a penalty, PSG coach Luis Enrique explained the decision-making process for penalty kicks in his team, as the choice of the Portuguese international surprised many. Although the Portuguese player was successful at the Allianz Riviera, and his record in penalty shootouts is also positive, including for Portugal (in the Nations League final against Spain), he is not the usual penalty taker for the European champions. Several players have taken on this responsibility with varying degrees of success. The list includes names like Dembélé, Doué, Gonçalo Ramos, Vitinha, and Barcola, which demonstrates the absence of a fixed specialist. After the match, Luis Enrique addressed the topic, expressing satisfaction with the variety of options. "I am fortunate to have many penalty takers," said the Spanish coach. "Whenever there have been penalties, they have shown their abilities. I think it’s important to give them confidence," he added. The coach also revealed that he does not interfere in the choice, delegating this decision to the more experienced players on the team. "Marquinhos or Vitinha decide who takes the penalty. It depends on each game, the moment of the match, and the confidence they have," explained Luis Enrique. The coach concluded by reinforcing his confidence in the entire squad for this task: "We have many players. We trust all the takers. Today it was Nuno who scored, but in the next game, it might be Vitinha, Ousmane, Doué, Kvara, Kang-In… Many players can score," he stated. The Spaniard took the opportunity to praise Nuno Mendes, who played as a winger and contributed with a goal and an assist. "I think we clearly showed what kind of team we are. Nuno played as a winger but had the freedom to play between the lines. He can play as a number 9. I am delighted to see a player with the technical ability to play as a winger. It was a very pleasant surprise. That’s what we showed. We want to have players who help the team," he concluded.
Nuno Mendes After the remains central to this story.
Nuno Mendes After the remains central to this story.
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