News

Concerns grow as Arsenal loanee concedes 4th penalty of the season

Concerns grow as Arsenal loanee concedes 4th penalty of the season

football merchandise
The Official Football Merchandise Store

MOENCHENGLADBACH, GERMANY: Konstantinos Mavropanos of VfB Stuttgart celebrates after scoring the side's first goal during the Bundesliga match between Borussia Mönchengladbach and VfB Stuttgart at Borussia-Park on October 16, 2021. (Photo by Frederic Scheidemann/Getty Images)
MOENCHENGLADBACH, GERMANY: Konstantinos Mavropanos of VfB Stuttgart celebrates after scoring the side’s first goal during the Bundesliga match between Borussia Mönchengladbach and VfB Stuttgart at Borussia-Park on October 16, 2021. (Photo by Frederic Scheidemann/Getty Images)

Konstantinos Mavropanos conceded his third penalty of 2022 last weekend, before being substituted with what was initially believed to be an injury.

Yet other reports suggest there was no injury. Kicker (via Sport Witness) claim that Mavropanos was surprised to be hauled off early, adding that Stuttgart coach Pellegrino Matarazzo has noticed the weaknesses of the Greek international.

Mavropanos is reportedly much less confident in himself right now, and his form is causing plenty of nerves in Stuttgart as the team battle relegation.

The Arsenal loan centre-back first gave away a penalty for handball against RB Leipzig in January, then another when he brought down Sebastian Polter of VfL Bochum in February, before rounding out the hat-trick with another handball against Union Berlin in March.

Mavropanos also conceded a penalty in his last international appearance, bringing down Alexander Isak with a rash challenge that helped give Sweden the lead in October.

The frequency of these penalty awards is obviously a concern, only needing one more to match David Luiz’s Premier League record-setting five in the 2019/20 season.

Erling Braut Haaland of Norway and Konstantinos Mavropanos of Greece during the International Friendly football match between Norway and Greece on June 6, 2021. Photo: Vegard Wivestad Grott
Erling Braut Haaland of Norway and Konstantinos Mavropanos of Greece during the International Friendly football match between Norway and Greece on June 6, 2021. Photo: Vegard Wivestad Grott

As it stands, Stuttgart are in 16th, which is the relegation play-off place. Finishing in that position would mean a fixture against a 2. Bundesliga promotion hopeful, with the winner going up and the loser going down.

Stuttgart are only ahead of the automatic relegation places on goal difference, so they need to keep picking up the points.

Regardless of whether they go down or not, reports suggest Stuttgart plan to use their option to sign the Arsenal loanee anyway.

football merchandise
The Official Football Merchandise Store
Liverpool
Chelsea
Manchester City
Arsenal
Tottenham Hotspur
Manchester United
Leicester City
Newcastle United
West Ham United
Barcelona
Real Madrid

Source link

Related Posts