So a penalty is given in a highly emotional way (12)
I believe the answer is:
passionately
'given in a highly emotional way' is the definition.
Both the answer and definition are adverbs. Perhaps you can see a link between them that I don't see?
'so a penalty is' is the wordplay.
'so a penalty is' anagrams to 'PASSIONATELY'.
But, I am not clear how this is indicated.
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for passionately that I've seen before include "With great ardour" , "With great emotion" .)