On Paco Alcacer's third penalty kick, he was on it with his fingertips, in the lower right corner from the point of view of goalkeeper David de Gea.

But it didn't work, the ball was in.

Not much was missing for the fourth, this time at the bottom left, when Alberto Moreno met.

Back inside.

And so it went on: eleven shots were shot on penalties by Manchester United's keeper de Gea, he was not able to defuse a single one.

Not even that of his counterpart Geronimo Rulli, certainly not that one.

The goalkeeper of FC Villareal turned with full tension in the angle to 11:10 in the jump-off of the Europa League final.

Achim Dreis

Sports editor.

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    All ten field players of both teams had previously converted, the football world had probably never seen such an accurate penalty shoot-out. And then de Gea had to answer. The Spaniard in the service of Manchester United started a bit cautiously, four hesitant steps to the point and then a placed but weak shot with the right into the right corner as seen from the shooter. Rulli dived to the left, parried, and the final was decided.

    “I've never had a happier day than today,” said Villareal's goalkeeper afterwards.

    Even if a single saved penalty in eleven shots is not a masterpiece for a keeper.

    But one “safe” was enough to win the title, which also meant the first final victory in the history of the Spanish provincial club.

    And he had also hammered his own penalty into the corner with force and conviction.

    As a reward for success, Villarreal will be able to play in the Champions League in the coming season.

    "I'll enjoy it and then relax," said successful coach Unai Emery, who had already won the Europa League three times with Sevilla FC.

    He announced an intensive preparation period.

    But later: "Now we're celebrating."

    His counterpart Ole Gunnar Solskjaer was in a bad mood to party, although Manchester United had a good sporting development and not a bad record. His team finished second in the Premier League, now second in the European League. But coach Solskjaer knows what really counts: the title. “It's not a successful season,” he said, summing up the whole season, when a penalty was ultimately judged over the weal and woe: “That's how it is in football. Sometimes one shot decides a season. "

    In regular time, Gerard Moreno (29th) scored for Villarreal, Edinson Cavani (55th) had equalized for Manchester United, who developed almost overwhelming possession in the second half, but could not implement it victoriously. In the penalty shoot-out, the shooters were then extremely unerring. The first 21 shooters scored without being overly close. Many put the ball high, not a single one had to be waved into the goal with the help of a post or crossbar. Neither goalkeeper had many chances of holding a ball.

    Ironically, the Spanish keeper of the English club caused the Spanish outsider to win with his missed shot. For keeper de Gea, who has been guarding the Manchester United goal since 2011, a nightmare

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    and it is already the second traumatic penalty shoot-out for him in an important game. At the 2018 World Cup, the 1.92 meter tall giant with the Spanish national team against Russia lost the round of 16 on penalties 3: 4. He hadn't held a single ball in this play-off either

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    but at least he didn't have to shoot himself back then.