Did he hit it blind? Gabriel Magalhaes' stunning PSG-winning pen | OneFootball

Was it a no-look? Gabriel Magalhaes’ unusual decision on the penalty that handed PSG the Champions League.

The shot that cost Arsenal the title was missed by the Brazilian center-back, and an image circulating on social media seems to show that he struck it without looking at the goal.

PSG are back-to-back Champions League winners, and Arsenal were left empty-handed after drawing 1-1 in regular time and losing the penalty shootout 5-3. The penalty that ultimately decided the title was taken by Gabriel Magalhaes, the Brazilian defender who fired wide and handed the trophy to the French side. But beyond the result, what sparked debate on social media was an image from the exact moment of the kick: the defender appears to be looking the other way when he shoots. Did he try the famous no-look and get it wrong?

The image is making the rounds and continues to fuel debate. In the viral photo, Magalhaes appears at the exact moment of the strike with his head turned, seemingly not looking at the goal as he kicks. The gesture brings to mind the so-called no-look penalty, a technique that involves taking the shot while looking in a different direction from where it is aimed, with the goal of misleading the goalkeeper about where the ball is going.

The move has famous precedents in football. Several players have pulled it off successfully over the years, although it always carries a huge risk of going wrong. If Magalhaes really did attempt that move in the most important penalty of the season, in the Champions League final, the image would go down as one of the most memorable in the tournament’s recent history.

What is not entirely clear is whether the defender really took the penalty that way on purpose or whether the photo captured an angle that creates that impression without that necessarily being what happened. The movement of the head when kicking can be due to several factors, including the tension of the moment or simply the mechanics of the strike. The image is not conclusive, but it keeps the question alive.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇪🇸 here.