In a recent interview with the official website, Borussia Dortmund winger Girassi spoke about his old club Stuttgart's 1-3 defeat to Real Madrid in the first round of the Champions League, while sharing his personal experience of scoring a penalty in the away win over Bruges in midweek.
Girassi began by recognizing Stuttgart's performance at the Bernabeu Stadium. He said that although Stuttgart eventually lost the match, the team's performance on the field was really impressive. However, the ability to seize chances is especially important in a top-level competition like the Champions League, especially in a legendary stadium like the Bernabeu. According to Girassi, Stuttgart created some chances against Real Madrid but failed to convert them into goals, which was the key to the loss.
Girassi then spoke about his penalty break in the midweek win away to Bruges. He revealed that he had a brief exchange with teammate Emre Zhan as he prepared to take the penalty, which was supported by his counterpart. Although he didn't pay much attention to the referee as he verified the penalty, Girassi managed to get the ball in the back of the net with his sharp instincts and experience.
Girasi also shared his mental process when taking a penalty kick. He said that when facing the goalkeeper, he carefully observes the opponent's movements and stance to make the best decision. In that penalty kick, he noticed the subtle movement of the goalkeeper and decisively chose to shoot from the middle of the field and eventually scored. Girassi's calmness and determination were undoubtedly important reasons why he was able to build up his team's success at the crucial moment.
