Valencia is the team that has missed the most penalties this season. The statistic is alarming: four failed spot kicks out of nine attempts. Three of those errors came with the score still 0-0, costing the team precious points and more. Three different takers have tasted the bitterness of failure.
Pepelu, the designated specialist, missed twice—against Betis and Celta. Danjuma failed from the spot against Oviedo, an error that affected his subsequent performances. And most recently, Hugo Duro crashed his effort against the crossbar in San Mamés.
“Part of me feels indebted for missing at such an important moment. We’ll see each other on Thursday,” the striker said after the match. Those four missed penalties could have altered Valencia’s current league standing, sparing them the nerve-wracking final stretch they now face.
The team had found a temporary solution in Ramazani, who converted three out of three penalties with flawless technique during the mid-season run when relegation became a real threat. Those three goals earned valuable points and boosted morale. But Ramazani was unavailable for the latest spot kick, and the prize was once again lost.
The penalty conversion rate stands at a poor 44%, an unusually high failure rate for any club. Captain Gayà commented after the match: “We’ve missed four penalties this season. Imagine where we would be if we hadn’t. Hugo missed because he took it. He gave everything on the pitch—that’s what we ask of a Valencia player: to die for the badge.”