The behind-the-scenes tale of Lamine Yamal’s penalty against Newcastle United | OneFootball

Lamine Yamal’s penalty against Newcastle United was not just a moment of individual nerve. According to Mundo Deportivo, there was a carefully repeated plan behind it, with Barcelona once again creating the ideal conditions for the teenager to take a decisive spot-kick in peace.

The report explains that what happened at Spotify Camp Nou was almost a copy of the scene from the first leg at St James’ Park. On that occasion, Joao Cancelo stood over the penalty spot to stop Newcastle players from damaging the turf and making the execution harder.

This time, it was Gerard Martin who took on that job, positioning himself on the spot to make sure no opponent could interfere before the kick was taken. That was only one part of the plan. Raphinha once again picked up the ball first and deliberately drew the attention of the Newcastle players towards himself.

That meant the usual attempts at intimidation, the stares, the distractions, and the typical comments aimed at unsettling the taker were all directed away from Lamine. Only at the last moment did the Brazilian hand the ball over, allowing the youngster to prepare for the penalty away from most of the noise.

It was a subtle but clever piece of teamwork, and it underlined how much trust exists around Lamine in these moments. The report also includes Raphinha’s own explanation for why he gave up the penalty again, despite having scored two spot-kicks against Sevilla in La Liga. The Brazilian said:

“Nowadays, goalkeepers are always well prepared. It doesn’t matter who takes it. But during the match, you get a sense. It’s about the confidence you have that night. And Lamine told me he really wanted to take it. When you see his confidence, you trust him, and it worked! He took it very well.”

In the end, Lamine Yamal’s penalty was not just about confidence from the youngster himself. It was also about the protection, trust, and awareness of his teammates, who made sure the stage was set for him to deliver at a key moment in the tie.