SPORT By mirror sports

The 10 most embarrassing spot-kick squabbles ever, after Cavani and Neymar argue over PSG penalty
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PSG stars Neymar and Edinson Cavani weren't the first team mates to row over penalty duties. We look at the 10 most "unfortunate" on-pitch penalty

You can see why Neymar would think he should be taking his team's penalties.

When someone tells you you're worth £199million, you're perhaps entitled to think you'll be taking the spot-kicks.


During their 2-0 win over Lyon, the world's most expensive player wanted to take a penalty, and challenged Cavani - the club's penalty taker - for the right to do so.

But the Uruguayan forward stood his ground and overruled both Neymar and Dani Alves to take the spot-kick… which was then saved by Lyon goalkeeper Anthony Lopez.


Edinson Cavani and Neymar argue over who should take a penalty 

But this isn't the first time a spot-kick squabble has taken place in a big game. We've found plenty of other examples - and put the 10 worst in ranking order.


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10. Cristiano Ronaldo v Carlos Tevez

Man United v Derby, 2007. United are already 3-1 to the good when they get a penalty. Tevez, who has already scored twice, fancies his hat-trick, and tries to get the ball from Ronaldo.

Taking a penalty away from Ronnie? Good luck with that, Carlos. You'd have more luck in a beauty contest.

Ronaldo of course took it - and of course scored.

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9. Paolo Di Canio v Frank Lampard

Back when Frank was just a little lad at West Ham (you can make your own "he wasn't so little" gag), he still had to fall in line when certain players told him to do something.

Namely, Paolo Di Canio.

In a bonkers game against Bradford in 2000, West Ham were trailing 4-2 when the original nutty Italian (sorry Mario) physically grabbed the ball from Lamps so he could take a penalty, wagging his finger and generally treating the young Englishman like a naughty schoolboy.

Still, Paolo must have done something right. West Ham went on to win 5-4.
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8. Frank Lampard v Didier Drogba

10 years after Di Canio yanked that ball out of his arms, Lamps finally got the chance to pull rank himself. With Chelsea going for the title in 2010, they were awarded a spot-kick against Wigan. Drogba wanted it, but as the designated penalty taker, Lampard refused to give up the ball.

Still, it worked out pretty nicely in the end. Drogba got to take a penalty in the second half and Chelsea won 8-0. Embarrassed? Not so much.
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7. Pep Guardiola v Arjen Robben

A unique entry on this list - a manager and his star player falling out over a spot-kick. When Bayern were awarded a penalty against Mainz in 2013, Robben was all set to take it, but Guardiola demanded that Thomas Muller step up instead.

A few days later, Robben - never afraid to throw his toys out of the pram - refused to take a penalty in a Champions League game.

Presumably a cuddle and some bonding over the horrors of male pattern baldness sorted it all out.

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6. Mario Balotelli v Daniel Sturridge & Jordan Henderson

Makes it to this high on the list for two reasons. First, it involved three players, rather than just two. Second, anything involving Super Mario winding up his team mates is always going to get added controversy points.
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5. Patjim Kasami v Orlando Sol
The first man on our list who took a penalty he shouldn't have - and missed it. In Kasami's defence, his penalty miss for Fulham against Chelsea in 2011 was a tad more complicated than it sounds.

Sol was the designated penalty taker, but apparently the then Fulham boss Martin Jol hadn't relayed this information to anyone other than Sol. Jol allegedly fined Kasami anyway.

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4. Pablo Osvaldo v Francesco Totti

The ultimate sin in Italian football: a Roma player taking a ball off club deity Totti… and then missing. After Osvaldo did exactly that during a 3-1 defeat to Sampdoria in 2013, he said:

“I would like to say sorry to the fans. I didn’t want to show any disrespect to Francesco. I simply wanted to take the penalty."

Osvaldo left for Southampton soon afterwards.

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3. Kevin Mirallas v Leighton Baines

Oh, Kevin. Taking the ball off one of the best penalty takers in Europe, right in front of the Monday Night Football cameras… and missing with the eyes of the nation on you.

Whoops.

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2. Jonathan De Guzman v Nathan Dyer

The biggest day in Swansea's history - and the smallest man on the pitch caused a stink so big that he almost ruined it. With Swansea 3-0 up against Bradford in the 2013 League Cup final and the game already won, the Swans won a penalty. Jonathan de Guzman grabbed the ball - but Nathan Dyer, who had scored twice already, was so desperate for a Wembley hat-trick, he had to physically restrain by his team mates.

Swansea went on to win 5-0 and claim their first ever major trophy. Not that anyone remembers that anymore. Nice work, Nathan.


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1. Marcello Trotta v Kevin O'Connor

And our winner is… this, the absolute mother of all penalty-nicking cock-ups.

On 27 April 2013, the last minute penalty Brentford were awarded against Doncaster was undoubtedly the most vital in the club's entire history. If they won the game, the then League One side would leapfrog Doncaster and be promoted to the Championship. All they needed to do was score this one spot-kick.

For reasons known only to him, Trotta - who was only on loan from Fulham - decided he was taking it, rather than regular penalty taker Kevin O'Connor.

Trotta promptly smashed the ball against the bar… and Doncaster went straight down the other end and scored.

We can only presume Trotta is still having trouble sleeping.

Lol

Oluwasaeon:
Lol

why will two players be fighting for spot-kicks ����

When cavani missed that penalty, he just ended his career

Ninethmare:
When cavani missed that penalty, he just ended his career

lol, he should have allowed Neymar

kloppzy:
lol, he should have allowed Neymar

Ninethmare:
When cavani missed that penalty, he just ended his career

Both of you should get back to PlayStation biko.

For the sake of all football fans.

Thanks.

Cavani no get sense!!!

ShyCypher:



Both of you should get back to PlayStation biko.
For the sake of all football fans.
Thanks.

then you should be playing real football then