Sassuolo goalkeeper Andrea Consigli claims overconfidence was behind his dreadful own goal in Sunday’s Serie A loss to Fiorentina.
The 29-year-old contrived to turn the ball into his own net when under no pressure inside the penalty area, handing Paulo Sousa’s side some late breathing space in their 3-1 win.
The incident caused bemusement for supporters – with the defeat effectively ending Sassuolo’s hopes of a top-five finish – and quickly became a trending topic on social media.
Consigli conceded after the match that he had been made to pay for his complacency but insisted the error was a one-off.
“My role can be very gratifying, but it can also lead to some bad moments,” he said.
“After the own-goal I used some pretty harsh language, obviously, but these things happen and you must try to let them slip away.
“There’s certainly been a touch of superficiality on my side that exposed me to a few extra risks. I was overconfident and I tried a first-touch play in the wrong position.
“You’ve got to consider the performance of a goalkeeper over the whole tournament. Luckily I don’t make many mistakes like this. It’s part of my job, which has good and bad sides.
“I know things like this can happen. I train and I work to do my best, and if I get called-up [for Italy] I’ll be happy.”
Fiorentina’s win took them back to within six points of the top three.
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