Kyle Walker has shared the story of how he came to take the final penalty for Manchester City in the UEFA Super Cup win over Sevilla.
The full-back has filmed a video with former City midfielder Michael Brown for the club’s official YouTube channel.
Last month, City scooped their first trophy of the season.
Pep Guardiola’s side beat Spanish outfit Sevilla in the Super Cup in Greece.
City fell behind in the contest thanks to a goal from Youssef En-Nesyri.
But Cole Palmer equalised with a great header from a Rodri cross in the second-half.
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The game would go to penalties and some City fans were very surprised to see Walker take the fifth kick.
And the 33-year-old has now shared how he came to actually take it…
Kyle Walker shares story of taking penalty in UEFA Super Cup for Man City
City defeated Sevilla in a penalty shootout to claim their first ever Super Cup.
City scored all five of their spot-kicks, with Walker taking what would be City’s last.
Nemanja Gudelj took Sevilla’s fifth kick, but hit the crossbar.
City fans were very surprised to see Walker step up to take the fifth kick that night, and he has now revealed that Pep Guardiola actually chose him as the fifth taker. Normally, Pep allows the players that are feeling confident to volunteer.
Talking to Brown, Walker said: “I’m stood at the back, getting out of the way. Right at the back. I don’t want to be involved in it. He’s got us in the huddle and he’s like ‘So this time, I’m going to choose the penalties’, bearing in mind we just lost on penalties to Arsenal (in the Community Shield).
“So I’m thinking ‘Oh I’m buzzing, he knows I don’t like them, he knows I’m not going to take one, fantastic!’
“He’s gone ‘number one Erling, number two Julian, number three Kovacic, number four Grealish, and number five – who’s going to win it for us – Kyle. The God’s honest truth, ‘He’s going to win it for us… Kyle!’ And he looked at me and smiles. And I’ve looked at him and was like ‘You’ve got it wrong mate!’
Walker then confirmed that his fear of taking penalties stems out of the potential to let the group down.
A bizarre but inspired decision from Pep
It is fascinating to hear this from Walker, considering how much he hates the concept of taking a penalty.
He clearly did not want to take one. And yet, Pep selected him as the fifth taker.
The Spaniard is no stranger to making bizarre calls in his career.
But you can argue that there is method to his madness.
More often that not he gets it right, and last month his decision was obviously vindicated with Walker scoring.
Clearly he felt it in his bones that the England international would come through for him. Even if it wasn’t the most convincing penalty in the world.