Struggling Athletic Bilbao’s veteran striker Aritz Aduriz took the art of the audacious penalty kick to another level against Real Valladolid in the Spanish La Liga on Saturday.
His penalty kick helped to give his side the lead in the match which ended 1-1.
With Athletic Bilbao mired in what looks like being a battle against relegation, the 37-year-old showed no nerves as he took a one-step run-up.
He then held his non-kicking foot still as he passed the ball from the penalty kick spot into the corner on the stroke of half-time.
The goal was not enough to give Athletic Bilbao the win though, as Oscar Plano levelled for the visitors in stoppage time.
It thus left the Basque side hovering one point above the drop zone.
“Aduriz’s penalty kick is something unprecedented, I have never seen anything like it in all my years in football,” said former Spain and Athletic Bilbao defender Andoni Goikoetxea.
Aduriz, the oldest player to have scored for the Spanish national team, is no stranger to cheeky penalty kicks.
Earlier this month, when Athletic Bilbao had not won a game since the opening day of the season and were drawing 0-0 with Girona in stoppage time, he surprised all also.
The striker converted a penalty kick in the style of former Czech player Antonin Panenka, calmly chipping the ball down the middle of the goal to snatch victory.
Reuters/NAN.
