Beñat San José defends Pathé Ciss after missed penalty against Elche

Rayo Vallecano coach Beñat San José has defended Pathé Ciss after the Senegalese midfielder missed a penalty in his side’s 3-0 home defeat by Elche in La Liga on Saturday.

Ciss had an opportunity to reduce the deficit and give Rayo a chance of getting back into the match, but his effort struck the crossbar. The hosts eventually suffered a three-goal defeat in the 10th round of the Spanish top flight.

The missed spot-kick came when Rayo were trailing by two goals, leaving Ciss with the chance to change the course of the contest. However, he was unable to convert, and Elche went on to secure a convincing away victory.

Following the match, San José was asked about the decision to allow Ciss to take the penalty. The Rayo coach stood by his midfielder, explaining that the club had a designated list of penalty takers and that the players could make the final decision depending on the circumstances.

According to Unión Rayo, San José said the choice was based on the players’ confidence and physical condition at the time, adding that Ciss was among those trusted with penalty duties.

“There is a list of shooters and they are the ones who decide at the moment. It can happen that one is more confident or that another feels a physical discomfort. Pathé is part of this list,” explained the Spanish coach, according to Unión Rayo.

San José made it clear that he had no reason to question Ciss’s selection for the responsibility. The coach also pointed to the midfielder’s experience and quality, insisting that missing a penalty was part of football and should not overshadow the player’s ability.

Ciss was given the responsibility of taking the spot-kick because he was one of the players included on Rayo’s penalty-taking list. Despite the disappointing outcome, San José maintained his support for the Senegalese international.

“Pathé Ciss is someone with a lot of experience, a great player, and he’s on that list. Only the one taking the penalty can miss,” he added.

The coach’s comments offered a clear show of support for Ciss after a difficult moment in the match. Rather than criticising the midfielder for failing to convert, San José reiterated that the responsibility came with the possibility of missing.

Rayo’s defeat against Elche meant that Ciss’s missed penalty did not lead to the comeback the hosts needed. The Senegalese midfielder will now look to move on from the setback as Rayo continue their La Liga campaign.

For San José, the message was straightforward: Ciss was trusted to take the penalty because he deserved to be on the list, and the fact that he missed should not change that assessment.