Marti Cifuentes explains why Zan Celar took QPR penalty in Stoke City draw

QPR head coach Marti Cifuentes says Zan Celar did nothing wrong in taking a first-half penalty in Saturday’s 1-1 draw with Stoke City that he ultimately missed.

The striker, who has not scored in 19 games since arriving at Loftus Road in the summer, took the spot-kick even though midfielder Nicolas Madsen was on the pitch.

Madsen scored from 12 yards in the 3-1 defeat to Hull City earlier this season and also converted eight penalties for Belgian side Westerlo last term.

“We have three takers. This is based not only on their history as a taker in their careers but as well we quite often practice taking penalties, I would say at least once a week,” Cifuentes explained. “Zan is an excellent penalty taker and you can see that in his history in Switzerland, Italy and with the national team.

“Both him and Nico when they are on the pitch are the takers, in that sense. But as well for a striker in the moment that he is, it is very important for him to score a goal.

“For me what is important is to have the courage to take the penalty in the situation that he is in.

“He knows that the atmosphere around him is not the best as a striker who hasn’t scored but to have the courage to take the penalty, he has my confidence.

“I support my players, if you are not a good player you are not the top scorer in the Swiss league and you don’t play for the national team.

“Obviously now he is in a difficult moment, and as a manager I need to help him because for me he is the best striker in the world along with Alfie [Lloyd] and Michy [Frey]. They are the three best strikers in the world for me, that’s the way I see my job.

“It doesn’t matter how much data or stats [you have], football belongs to players and what happens on the pitch. You learn that through experience.”