Ancelotti reveals he picked Asensio over Rodrygo to take penalty v Mallorca, explains why

Real Madrid had a clear chance to save one point away against Mallorca but Marco Asensio couldn't convert the penalty in the second half. After the game, Carlo Ancelotti was asked why was Asensio sent to take the penalty.

"I had picked him. Karim Benzema is the first taker, then Luka Modric [who was on the bench], Toni Kroos wasn't there either. I am the one who decides who takes the penalties," the coach said.

"The only doubt was between Asensio and Rodrygo. I chose Asensio because I thought that Rodrygo's missed penalty at the World Cup could've affected him mentally."

As a reminder, Rodrygo was one of the two Brazilians who missed their shots in the penalty shootout against Croatia at the World Cup. As a consequence, Brazil was eliminated from the competition.

Asensio might be great at penalties in training but he lacks the experience. The Spaniard has only one penalty goal in his career which he scored back in 2017 against Fuenlabrada.

Rodrygo, on the other hand, has scored three penalty goals this season alone, converting all opportunities he had. Surely a missed shot in a penalty shootout shouldn't have changed Ancelotti's opinion.