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Generally speaking, in penalty shootouts, the first and fifth players are very important.

The first player has to give a good start to the teammates who will take the penalty. If he can kick the football in, he can also release the psychological pressure of everyone behind him. His teammates will naturally become tense in an instant, carrying a heavy burden of thought.

And being the last fifth person to take a penalty kick is equally important, because he is likely to decide the life and death of himself and his opponent with one ball.

As in the current situation, the opponent's fifth player has already scored. If the fifth player on our team fails to score, the game will end here. But if he can score, he can continue the penalty shootout and enter the single-round elimination system.

Therefore, the head coach will generally arrange for players with excellent psychological quality and outstanding penalty kick skills to play in the fifth lineup, which can be regarded as the "finale" in a certain sense.

Those who can take on this great task are not ordinary people.

So when they saw Gao Zheng walking to the penalty spot, many people were a little surprised - it is rare to see Gao Zheng taking a penalty kick...

Many people are even thinking, has Gao Zheng ever kicked a penalty or scored a penalty?

They don't remember at all.

Arranging for such a person who has rarely or never taken a penalty kick to take the key penalty kick for the fifth time?

Has Simeone doted on Gao Zheng to this extent?

Although Gao Zheng scored a lot of goals, it doesn't mean that he can take such a crucial penalty kick if he can score in normal games.

Many strikers who score like crazy have a very high chance of missing penalties.

At least Manuel Blanco frowned when he saw this scene.

He didn't understand at all what Simeone's arrangement was based on.

But at this time, he has no choice but to continue to support Atletico Madrid.

So at this moment, he became Gao Zheng's fan again, and he wanted to pray to God for Gao Zheng like a reflex.

But he suddenly remembered that Gao Zheng was a Chinese, and the Chinese were notoriously unbelieving in God, not only did they not believe in God, they might even blaspheme God. He was worried that praying to God for a Chinese would incur God's wrath,

Instead, Atletico Madrid was eliminated, which affected his plans.

He couldn't pray to his Lord anymore, but at the same time he didn't know what to do, so he just looked at the TV screen helplessly.

His eyes were fixed on Gao Zheng.

You kid... don't let me down! For my big plan, you also have to kick this ball in!

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Under the watchful eyes of countless people, Gao Zheng walked to the penalty spot. He reached the football with his feet and stepped on it.

Unlike his former teammates and opponents, who put the football very solemnly, some people must make the valve core of the football align with themselves, so as to ensure that the hardest part of the football body is kicked and the speed of the football is increased. .

But Gao Zheng didn't do that.

He was very casual, as casual as a penalty drill in training.

Then he backed away and turned to look at the referee.

This surprised the referee—he thought that Gao Zheng would play with the football, but he didn't expect that he would finish his preparations in just two seconds.

At the same time, Eindhoven goalkeeper Zote, who was standing on the goal line, was also very surprised. He performed well in both rounds and was elected the best player in the last round.

But in Atletico Madrid's previous four penalties, he has not saved a single one.

He originally wanted to save Gao Zheng's ball at the fifth penalty and kill the game directly.

Unexpectedly, Gao Zheng's casual behavior after coming up made him feel a little hesitant.

Is this psychological warfare?

Is Gao Zheng confident, or is it because he has no experience in taking penalty kicks?

Before this game, Eindhoven's head coach Cocu specially asked the team to conduct extra training on penalty kicks and made very full preparations. As a goalkeeper, he naturally studied all the main penalty shooters on Atletico Madrid's side, knowing their direction and habits of kicking.

So don't look at him not saving a single penalty, but the direction is all right, just a little bit off.

But when facing Gao Zheng, his mind went blank. Because there was no information about Gao Zheng's penalty kick at all before, is he good at kicking the penalty kick to the left or the right? Is it above or below? Is he good at kicking with his right foot or left foot? Does he volley hard or likes to spoon lobs? Does he like to pursue angles or is it safe?

None of these Zuotes know...

As a result, he can only rely on guessing when he saves a penalty kick.

He was a little confused.

There was no time for Zote to think again, the referee had already blown his whistle.

The audience suddenly fell silent.

Gao Zheng started to run up... No, or "walk-up" is more accurate, because Gao Zheng didn't run at all, he took a step forward, and took another step, a total of two steps, more like striding.

Then his right foot was drawn towards the football.

Everything happened suddenly and quickly.

Zuote jumped out before Gao Zheng's kick hit the football. He guessed the direction of the left side of his body, and guessed that Gao Zheng would hit his foot, so he rushed over decisively.

But Gao Zheng kicked the ball to the right side of his body, and it was in the upper corner!

The football flew into the goal from the angle between the post and the crossbar!

"Gao Zheng!!! Beautiful! Blind spot!!" He Ping, who was so nervous that he couldn't speak before, could finally roar to his heart's content.

He was also worried that Gao Zheng, who had never kicked a penalty before, would kick the ball away... Now, the worst result is that Atletico Madrid is eliminated, but at least it will not be Gao Zheng's responsibility.

"Gao, who seldom takes penalty kicks, looks very relaxed and freehand on this ball, just like training, without pressure!" Jose Maria also highly praised Gao Zheng. "It seems that Simeone was right to let him take the penalty last. Although we outsiders don't know how Gao's penalty kick ability is, the head coach who has been with him day and night is obviously very clear and has great confidence in him. Facts have also proved In this tense atmosphere, Gao Cong walked out to scored a penalty kick, which seemed out of place with this tense atmosphere..."

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Manuel Blanco saw Gao Zheng's careless way of placing the football, and he kept cursing Gao Zheng in his heart, scolding him for his foolishness - he scolded him in his heart because if he scolded out loud, he was afraid that he would come back again. Kicked out of the house by my wife...

But after seeing Gao Zheng's goal, he couldn't help jumping up and cheering.

This made his wife poke her head out curiously: "Aren't you a Barcelona fan? What are you cheering for Atletico Madrid?"

Blanco was too lazy to explain his trick to his wife, so he could only wave his hands impatiently: "What do you know?"

"What did you say!" The wife's voice rose an octave.

Blanc quickly laughed and said: "I hope they can advance to the quarterfinals, and then get deeper and deeper in the two-line battle. In the end, no matter whether it is the league or the Champions League, they will be empty-handed..."

He quickly explained his thoughts to his wife.

Then turned to watch TV, PSV had finished the sixth round of penalty kicks and scored again.

Cocu said before the game that they had prepared a penalty kick. It seems that they are not talking nonsense, they are really prepared, and they are fully prepared...

Blanco was a little anxious.

Cocu also played for Barcelona before... Could it be that he wants to avenge Barcelona, ​​so he insists on knocking out Atletico Madrid from the Champions League?

But what's the use of you beating them in the Champions League, if you have the ability, you come to La Liga to stop them!

It's a big deal for me here!

Fortunately, Atletico Madrid's sixth player Jimenez also scored a penalty kick, which made Blanco heave a sigh of relief.

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"It's really unexpected that the penalty shootout has been played until the eighth round..." Jose Maria said with emotion.

There were fewer and fewer shouts at the scene. Most of the fans were so nervous that they couldn't make any sound. Some people didn't even dare to watch. They turned their backs to the stadium and only judged from the reactions of the people around them. Did the ball go in or not.

After the results of the draw for the round of 16 came out, Atletico Madrid fans still felt that winning Eindhoven was a top draw.

Who would have thought that Eindhoven was so tenacious, drew with Atletico Madrid in two rounds, and dragged the penalty shootout to the eighth round...

The eighth player to represent Eindhoven was Luciano Nalsinger, who was substituted in the 118th minute of the game. Just two minutes into the game, the game was over and entered Penalty shootout.

Of course it wasn't for Cocu who brought him in for the penalty shootout, otherwise he wouldn't have played in eighth place, this order means that anyone can play, because there is no consideration here at all...

The head coach arranges the penalty kick list to focus on the top five, and the latter basically just look at the rankings, and the further back the worse the penalty kick ability.

Nalsinger, who is ranked eighth, has a penalty kick level... the penalty kick record is similar to Gao Zheng's, and he hasn't played much.

Sure enough, after he went up, he kicked the ball out of the baseline!

"Nalsinger——!! He missed the shot!!" He Ping raised his arms and shouted as if he was cheering for victory.

The stone that weighed on everyone's heart was loosened.

Atletico Madrid's eighth appearance is Juanfran.

Just like his seven teammates before him, he kicked the football into the goal steadily!

Even if Zote judged the right direction again, he still couldn't touch it!

"The game is over!!! Atletico Madrid eliminated PSV Eindhoven with a score of 8:7 in a brutal penalty shootout and advanced to the quarterfinals!!"

In the TV screen, all Atletico Madrid players flocked to Juanfran to celebrate this hard-won promotion.

In front of the TV, Blanc also raised his arms in silent celebration.

His plan can go on smoothly!