Brahim Diaz turns to routine after missed Panenka in AFCON final, staff and team-mates key | OneFootball

Brahim Diaz returned to Real Madrid training on Thursday, still affected by his missed panenka in Morocco’s AFCON final defeat to Senegal. Player and club alike view a swift return to routine as the best therapy.

According to L'Équipe, the 26-year-old left devastated after a panenka miss at the end of normal time, before Morocco lost 0-1 after extra time. He spent three days with family, then apologised on Monday, calling it the biggest failure of his young career.

Rosana Llanes, a pioneer of football psychology in Spain, says he should be helped to put the moment into perspective and set short-term goals. Failure is part of sport, he took a risk and lost, and the best remedy is a quick return to normality.

Diaz has never used a mental coach. Real Madrid have set no special protocol and will not involve club psychologists unless he asks. A member of the coaching staff believes such setbacks affect elite competitors less than is often assumed and could even make him stronger.

Those around the AFCON’s leading scorer with five goals describe him as mentally robust and determined to earn a starting place. New coach Alvaro Arbeloa values his versatility and combativeness, and should name him in the squad at Villarreal on Saturday at 21:00.

Staff and team-mates are seen as key to normalising the episode. At his first session back, several offered kind words and gestures, and dressing-room banter, resumed in due course, is viewed as part of restoring routine.

Source: L'Équipe