Speaking to Optus Sport, Mat Ryan has shared that David Luiz tried to score a Panenka against him in his first-ever training session with Arsenal.
The Australian goalkeeper arrived in north London in January, and it didn’t take long for Luiz to try to mug him off.
It would have been an embarrassing way to kick off Ryan’s Arsenal career, but luckily, the Aussie saved Luiz’s attempt.
Ryan was talking about Luiz’s reputation of being a prankster, and he claims that the Brazilian hasn’t managed to get him with a prank yet.
“Not that I’ve known, but maybe behind my back he is. But no, he’s a great character to have around the place, he’s a joker, he’s very vibrant, very relaxing, when he was back in the squad last week against Villarreal, it was our biggest game of the season, but he was there as a calming influence and his joyful self, singing Arsenal songs on the bus and getting us all in a good mood and he has a positive influence on the group in that aspect,” Ryan said.
“The first day I arrived in training we were doing a penalty shootout and he tried to do me with a Panenka, but luckily I stayed still and saved it, so I was happy with that, but the other day when we were in Spain he did me with a top-corner finish, which he reminded me a couple of times about.”
We can just imagine Luiz trying something this audacious in Ryan’s first training session.
To be fair, we’re surprised the Brazilian didn’t manage to score the Panenka, such is his prowess from dead-ball situations.
Luckily, Ryan didn’t get caught out by Luiz on that occasion, but it seems as though the Brazilian got his own back by banging in a screamer last week in training.
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