Spain are in the semi-finals of the EURO 2020 thanks to a penalty shootout drama against Switzerland that ended in their favour. An old phrase that ‘penalties are like lottery’ should be put to rest, especially after the Spaniards demonstrated a world-class execution from the spot. Spain’s biggest fan Manolo breaths a sigh of relief as brave Switzerland finally lose on penaltiesOne of the guys who stood up and put the ball in the back of the net, Dani Olmo, gave a small insight into the preparations he and his temmates had before the game. In an interview for Spanish newspaper Marca, the 23-year-old Red Bull Salzburg midfielder said: “I’m not going to reveal my secrets to take a penalty [laughs]. I was confident, had trained, had put them in training, and I knew where I had to shoot. It’s time for the goalkeeper and you. You have to face it and have confidence in yourself to put it.”I was focused on what depended on me. I knew that if I hit it aside and hard, I wouldn’t be able to do anything.”##EDITORS_CHOICE##He says that penalties are trained, and Spain has done it even with the psychologist.”We have trained those penalties at all levels. Also, with Joaquin, the psychologist and it is something that helps us all.”Did he give you any advice?”Yes, for everything. I also have my private psychologist, Lorena Cos, who was with my father in Sabadell. They are topics that we talk about and train. Equalizing the pressure that can be felt in a penalty shootout is almost impossible, but other factors can be trained, “concluded Olmo.
