'Panenka' penalty was premeditated, admits Ramos

Sergio Ramos admitted that the chipped penalty that gave Spain the initiative in their 4-2 penalty shoot-out win over Portugal in the Euro 2012 semi-finals had been planned in advance.

Sergio Ramos admitted that the chipped penalty that gave Spain the initiative in their 4-2 penalty shoot-out win over Portugal in the Euro 2012 semi-finals had been planned in advance.

The Real Madrid man beat Portugal goalkeeper Rui Patricio with a 'Panenka' penalty to put Spain 3-2 ahead and after Bruno Alves hit the crossbar with his attempt, Cesc Fabregas swept Spain into Sunday's final in Kiev.

Ramos' penalty in the last-four encounter in Donetsk on Wednesday was similar to Andrea Pirlo's audacious spot-kick in Italy's shoot-out win over England in the quarter-finals.

The 26-year-old centre-back had blazed a penalty over the crossbar in Madrid's Champions League semi-final shoot-out loss to Bayern Munich in April, but he said he had no qualms about putting himself forward again.

"I'd planned it in advance, I won't lie," he told reporters after receiving the man-of-the-match award.

"After my last experience with penalties with Real Madrid in the Champions League, people said I wasn't ready for the responsiblity of taking a penalty.

"But I had confidence in myself and I wanted to try again."

He added: "It was a risk, of course, but I had seen how the goalkeeper moved and I was pretty sure he would go one way or the other. It was lucky, but it was great for me."