Giroud deflects criticism after penalty miss

Montpellier striker Olivier Giroud has played down his decision to pass on taking a vital penalty in Tuesday’s 2-2 Ligue 1 draw with Evian.

Giroud decided against taking a penalty in the last minute, instead passing the responsibility on to Souleymane Camara, who missed the ensuing spot kick, leading Younes Belhanda to direct a thinly-veiled dig at the pair.

The draw meant that Montpellier are now only three points ahead of Paris-Saint-Germain at the summit of Ligue 1, but Giroud has now attempted to offer his side of the story.

“Say what you want, but I will respond very soon (to Belhanda),” he told L’Equipe.

“However, I read stories that ‘Giroud had not taken responsibility’, and that it was because of this incident and I had caused some problems.

“It makes me chuckle. It is true that (the penalty) was there for me to take, but I’m not one for bickering. There are some things that were said, which were clumsy, and although it is not the right time to respond, I eventually will.

“That’s why I did not want to make a fuss. I will put things right soon. It is far more important to get to the end of the season.”

Giroud then explained that Camara had asked him take the penalty. He also pointed out that he was not feeling confident after he had missed a spot kick two weeks before against Toulouse.

“The fact is, Souleymane had already asked me to take a penalty in Toulouse (a 1-0 win), but I took the responsibility to do so and missed,” he continued.

“So I was perhaps a little less confident to take this one. I did not even have time to prepare for it, so Souleymane came to me and said he would take it.”

Montpellier face an away match against Stade Rennes on Monday.