“'You wanted to shoot towards the other corner'”: When Mario Gomez was left amazed by Chelsea hero Petr Cech reading his mind before UCL final penalty

Former Bayern Munich striker Mario Gomez opened up last month about how ex-Chelsea goalkeeper Petr Cech knew what he would do in the penalty shootout during the 2012 UEFA Champions League final.

Bayern hosted the Blues at the Allianz Arena in that game on May 19. Thomas Muller handed the Bavarians the lead in the 83rd minute, seemingly putting them on their way to victory. However, Didier Drogba responded with a resounding just five minutes later to send the match to extra-time.

With the extra 30 minutes failing to separate the two teams, the game entered a penalty shootout. Philipp Lahm opened the scoring for Bayern despite Cech getting his fingertips to the ball, while Juan Mata's effort for Chelsea was saved by Manuel Neuer.

Gomez then stepped up to give his team a 2-0 advantage and found the bottom right corner despite Cech diving the right away.

The former Germany international has now opened up on his thought process behind that spot-kick. In a video posted by @primevideosportde on Instagram on February 24, Gomez explained that he changed his mind just before taking the penalty, saying:

“I put the ball down and look at Petr Cech, who’s standing there and was a monster. I put the ball down, turn around, and it was clear for me, I’m going to hit into one corner, powerfully.

“I have to hit it powerfully, otherwise he’ll get to it. I walk back, turn around and think, no, he’ll save it. On the way to the ball I changed my mind and went for the other corner.”

He then revealed that he and Cech met after the match while taking a customary doping test. The Chelsea legend told Gomez that he expected him to shoot to the other corner and that he had confused him, which left the latter admiring how great Cech was.

“The mad thing about this story is: afterwards I have doping control. Petr Cech is sitting with me at doping control. He’s completely shy, reserved, and eventually he says to me: ‘Hey, what was with the penalty?’ I look at him and say: ‘Eh?’” Gomez recounted.

“Then he says to me: ‘You wanted to shoot towards the other corner first. You totally confused me. I knew you were going for the other corner.’ He pretty much said what happened in me. That’s brutal. That made me realise again what a great goalkeeper he is.”

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Petr Cech eventually came up clutch to help Chelsea beat Mario Gomez's Bayern Munich in the 2012 UCL final

Mario Gomez's successful spot-kick in the shootout put Bayern Munich in the ascendancy as they held a 2-0 lead. Chelsea got back into it through David Luiz, who slammed the ball into the top right corner.

Manuel Neuer then stepped up for Bayern and found the bottom left corner despite Petr Cech diving the right way once again. However, Frank Lampard smashed the ball into the roof of the net to make it 3-2.

Cech then came through for Chelsea, diving to his right to deny Ivica Olic. The Blues then restored parity as Ashley Cole found the bottom right corner with pinpoint precision.

Cech was the hero once again moments later as he dived to his right once again to stop Bastian Schweinsteiger's tamely struck penalty. Didier Drogba then rolled the ball into the bottom left corner with Neuer diving the other way to give Chelsea their first UEFA Champions League title.