Real Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois would be prepared to take a penalty if the 2022 Champions League final has to be settled on spot-kicks.
The Belgium international is more concerned with containing the threat posed by Liverpool heading into the European encounter at Stade de France on Saturday.
He is however aware that two heavyweight outfits may cancel each other out, bringing a nerve-shredding shootout into the equation, and has history from his time at Chelsea of stepping up from 12 yards.
Would Courtois take a penalty in the UCL final?
The shot-stopper is doing his homework on potential takers for Liverpool, and said when asked if he could take a penalty himself: “I remember in pre-season with Chelsea against PSG I scored one and in the Community Shield against Arsenal I missed one.
“(Antonio) Conte put me there because he knew I could shoot well, but obviously standing on the spot, in an important moment, is different.
“I wouldn’t be one of the first five (takers), for sure, but maybe after, if you need to shoot, you have to shoot. I don’t fear it. It’s a moment to shine.
“We won one (shootout) against Atletico Madrid in the Super Cup a few years ago when I saved one penalty. This season I have saved three.
“You study ahead. Against Chelsea we had two penalties and you study them, because you can see the similarities. Hopefully it will not come back to that but if it does, I will be ready.”
Who has Courtois saved penalties against this season?
Courtois helped Madrid to Super Cup success back in 2020 when keeping out a decisive spot-kick from Atletico midfielder Thomas Partey.
He has saved a further 11 efforts in competitive action down the years, outside of shootouts, with some notable names on his roll of honour.
Lionel Messi has been denied on two occasions by the Belgian, with the most recent coming in THE Champions League last-16 encounter between Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain this season.
Courtois also kept out Raul Garcia during the Supercopa clash with Athletic Club in January, while Goncalo Guedes fluffed his lines for Valencia in a Liga fixture a few days prior to that.
