Mateo Retegui addressed his penalty miss following the 0-0 draw between Atalanta and Arsenal in the Champions League. Speaking to Sky Sports, the striker expressed his regret and took full responsibility for the missed opportunity.
“I’m sorry for the boys, we played a great game,” Retegui began. “I missed the penalty, but you learn from mistakes. Now we focus on the next match.”
The Atalanta forward revealed the support he received from his teammates and coach after the incident. “After the missed penalty, the whole team came to cheer me up, even the coach after leaving the pitch. We really wanted to give the three points to all the fans.”
When asked about the rebound opportunity, Retegui admitted he could have done better. “Yes, the goalkeeper made a great save, but I made a mistake on the second ball. I didn’t see that he got up quickly and fast.”
Reflecting on his approach to the rebound, Retegui explained, “I didn’t see the goalkeeper get up quickly. When I saw the ball rise, I focused on it and didn’t see the goalkeeper. I’m very sorry, it was important to start with a victory.”
The interviewer questioned if Retegui thought he had already scored, to which he replied, “No, it’s just that I didn’t see the goalkeeper.”
On a more positive note, Retegui spoke about his growth as a player since coming to Italy. “I’ve grown tremendously, and I have to thank many people, first of all, Coach Gilardino who allowed me to come to Italy. And then Atalanta, which is a great club: here I learn a lot every day, I feel like I’m a different player, and I’m always improving a little more. I have to continue like this and help the team.”
