Jorginho: Only one goalkeeper has figured out Chelsea midfielder’s unusual penalty technique
Penalty taking can be considered an art form and one of the best around today is Chelsea midfielder Jorginho, whose recent effort arrived as Italy ran out 2-0 winners over Greece in a Euro 2020 qualifier.
The 27-year-old metronomic deep-lying playmaker converted in the 63rd minute to send Roberto Mancini’s men on their way to reaching next summer’s international tournament.
As the nation’s designated spot-kick taker Jorginho didn’t let his manager down, though Mancini was probably quietly confident given his track record.
This was the 17th time, during a regular game, Jorginho has stepped up from 12 yards and just once before has the Brazilian-born midfielder missed.
That unfortunate episode came whilst Jorginho was representing Napoli, the club that brought him to international fame. It was back in late November in 2017 when Udinese shot-stopper Simone Scuffet denied him just after the half-hour mark, although the Italian reacted quick enough to convert the rebound and save his own blushes.
Incredibly, he’s never looked back since, converting his following six penalty attempts, including three in an Italian jersey.
All of this makes the recent episode of Ross Barkley demanding the ball in Chelsea’s Champions League opener against Valencia, with Jorginho on the pitch, all the more remarkable. The Englishman fired his effort onto the bar, leading to widespread questions about why Jorginho was not given an opportunity to step up.
The midfielder’s hop, skip and shoot technique may not be to everyone’s liking, but it’s clear that goalkeepers struggle to predict the direction Jorginho is going to strike the ball thanks to his last-second shimmy.
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