Italy striker Graziano Pelle has apologised to the country after his missed penalty gave Germany a lifeline in their Euro 2016 quarter final penalty shootout.
After 120 minutes of football had left the two countries tied at 1-1, a Leonardo Bonucci spot-kick tying Mesut Ozil’s opener, Italy were set fair in the shootout with Thomas Muller and Ozil having missed as many in five minutes as Germany had in the preceding 40 years.
Pelle could have put Italy 3-1 up after seven penalties and cut a confident figure as he walked up, gesturing to German goalkeeper Manuel Neuer that he would try to chip the ball down the middle before rolling a tame effort well wide.
“I want to apologise to the Italian people because I am very disappointed about the outcome,” he said after the match. “I wasn't trying to Neuer at all.
“I wasn’t trying to be too smart about it either.”
In a farcical shoot-out that saw seven penalties missed Pelle’s effort was not even the worst. Simone Zaza was brought on in the final seconds of the match with the express aim of taking a penalty.
After several seconds jogging on the spot Zaza spooned his effort well over, leading to mockery on social media for a disastrous effort. It was not what either Italy head coach Antonio Conte or Pelle expected.
Germany vs Italy: Euro 2016 In Pictures
“Zaza and I always score [penalties] in training.
“Unfortunately, we were unable to do so when stakes were high.”
The Southampton striker’s penalty woes seem not to have had too much of an impact on his national manager Conte, who is keen to reunite with Pelle now that he has taken over at Chelsea.
Pelle’s contract expires at the end of next season and Standard Sport reported on Monday that Southampton would be willing to part with the 30-year-old.
