Serhou Guirassy has announced that he will no longer take penalties for Borussia Dortmund after missing a Panenka attempt during Sunday’s dramatic 3-2 win over Heidenheim.
The decision comes despite the Guinean striker scoring twice in the match, a performance that proved decisive for Dortmund. However, a late penalty miss overshadowed his contribution and sparked debate within the club and beyond.
Guirassy had already converted one spot-kick earlier in the game before stepping up again late on, having won the penalty himself. This time, he attempted a Panenka, but the effort failed completely, sailing over the crossbar.
The miss briefly placed Dortmund under pressure in a tightly contested match.
Speaking to DAZN after the final whistle, Guirassy addressed the moment directly and made his intentions clear. “I missed one. Penalties are over for me now ,” he said, a remark delivered with humour that drew laughter in the studio but also highlighted a serious decision.
The striker’s choice did not go unnoticed by head coach Niko Kovac, who later expressed frustration with the decision-making behind the attempt.
“He wanted to try something that I didn’t find very appropriate. It wasn’t the right time ,” Kovac said during his post-match press conference, underlining the importance of managing crucial moments.
Within the squad, the established hierarchy for penalty duties is already defined. Emre Can is regarded as Borussia Dortmund’s primary penalty taker, making Guirassy’s two attempts during the match an exception rather than the norm.
Algerian defender Ramy Bensebaini is also known for his ability from the spot, further limiting Guirassy’s usual role in such situations.
Following the match, Guirassy publicly acknowledged his error and addressed supporters directly on social media platform X. “Alhamdulillah, we won.
It wasn’t the right time to attempt that penalty in that way and put the team under pressure. Sorry. Alhamdulillah, we won. ”
The apology reflected an awareness of the tension surrounding the incident, even in victory. While Dortmund secured all three points, the missed Panenka has clearly left a mark.
For Guirassy, the outcome is decisive: despite his goals and influence in open play, he has drawn a line under his involvement in penalty-taking, choosing responsibility and restraint after a moment that nearly proved costly for his team.
