"You must take at least 1000 penalties" - Spain manager Luis Enrique believes penalty shootouts are not a lottery at the FIFA World Cup 

Spain manager Luis Enrique believes penalty shootouts are not a lottery while insisting his team have been practicing penalties ahead of their round of 16 clash with Morocco in the 2022 FIFA World Cup.

La Roja will face the Atlas Lions, who won Group F ahead of heavyweights Croatia and Belgium, at the Education City Stadium today (6 December).

Given that we are into the knockout stages, penalty shootouts are a distinct possibility, with Croatia seeing off Japan 3-1 in the tournament's first shootout last evening.

Spain have been involved in quite a few shootouts themselves at major international competitions, including twice at the Euro 2020 last year alone.

They beat Switzerland in the quarter-finals but lost to eventual champions Italy in the semis. In the 2018 FIFA World Cup as well, the Reds went out in the Round of 16 to hosts Russia in the penalty shootouts.

Enrique believes it's not a lottery to be won and teams can only get better with practice. Speaking to the press ahead of their clash with Morocco, he said (via Asia One):

"Over a year ago, in many national camps we told players, 'You have homework ahead of the World Cup. You must take at least 1,000 penalties with the club.' You can't just train them when they're with the national team."

"I don't think it's a lottery. If you train often, then the way you take penalties improves. Obviously, you can't train the pressure and tension, but you can cope with it."

The former Barcelona head coach also added that luck has no role to play in the shootouts as it's all down to the goalkeepers. He insisted that all three of Spain's goalkeepers are good at saving penalties and added:

"It doesn't depend on luck, the goalkeeper is key in the shootout. All three of our keepers are good at them. In our sessions we have players taking penalty kicks, it's homework we've taken into account."

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Spain face Morocco in a potential banana skin at the 2022 FIFA World Cup

Spain take on Morocco at the 2022 FIFA World Cup for a place in the quarter-finals in what could be a potential banana skin for Enrique's team.

The Atlas Lions topped a group featuring Croatia and Belgium, while also taking four points from those sides. The only goal they conceded in the first round was an own goal from Nayef Aguerd.