During the thrilling Champions League match between Borussia Dortmund and Juventus (4-4), a notable incident stirred considerable attention: a surprising dispute between Serhou Guirassy and Ramy Bensebaini over who would take a penalty kick. Despite Guirassy’s strong desire—being a co-leading European scorer with 28 successful penalties out of 34 attempts—it was defender Bensebaini, flawless with 11 penalties in 11 attempts, who ultimately took the ball. This caused a tense moment on the pitch, which was diffused by teammates and reinforced by the clear hierarchy established by coach Niko Kovac.
This situation reignited the classic debate about managing penalty takers in top clubs. While Guirassy, a prolific striker with 43 goals in 54 games for Dortmund, seemed naturally ready to seize the opportunity, Dortmund’s staff prioritized Bensebaini’s impeccable consistency. Although Guirassy accepted this on the spot, supporters remain divided, with some believing that depriving a striker in form of such a chance could affect both personal and team momentum.
Internally, the club quickly moved to ease tensions: a serious conversation with Guirassy took place after the match to clarify the situation, while Kovac and sporting director Sebastian Kehl firmly reiterated that the penalty-taking hierarchy remained unchanged and that collective success was paramount. Despite social media criticism, especially from Guinea, Bensebaini received official club support as the designated penalty taker this season.
The episode ended positively when Guirassy and Bensebaini celebrated the converted penalty together, reassuring both the locker room and supporters. This « penaltygate » echoes other similar controversies in international football where managing penalty takers can go beyond immediate sporting logic to affect team cohesion. With this affair, Dortmund illustrates the complexity of high-level strategic decisions where respect for established rules and collective harmony are essential to progress.