Roma boss Gian Piero Gasperini expressed his frustration after his team missed three penalties in a bizarre incident during their 1-0 defeat to Lille in the Europa League.
Roma’s 1-0 defeat to Lille in the Europa League was marked by a stunning triple penalty miss, with Dovbyk and Soulé denied in quick succession by Ozer after a series of retaken spot-kicks.
Roma boss Gian Piero Gasperini admitted that the missed opportunities proved costly, saying, “It had never happened to me before to miss three penalties in the same situation.”
The match got off to a bad start for Roma, with Arnar Haraldsson scoring an early goal for Lille. Despite the setback, Roma played with desire and rhythm until the end, but were unable to capitalize on their chances. Gasperini praised his team’s spirit and intensity, saying, “The team, in terms of spirit, gave a lot.”
The penalty incident was a bizarre one, with multiple spot-kicks being retaken due to encroachment. Gasperini described it as “almost unique and accidental,” but acknowledged that it undoubtedly compromised the result. “It was almost unique and accidental. But it happened and undoubtedly compromised the result,” he said.
Despite the defeat, Gasperini looked at the positives, noting that Roma had continuity in attack in the second half. “In the second half, we had continuity in attack. They are fast and technical, it wasn’t easy, but we had spirit and intensity,” he said. He also emphasized the importance of staying focused and moving on quickly, given the team’s busy schedule.
Gasperini was asked about the potential psychological consequences of the penalty misses, but he was firm in his response. “We are sportsmen. Mistakes happen, but there is no such thing as getting discouraged. Luckily, we play every three days, so we move on quickly,” he said.
The Roma boss also provided an update on the team’s injury situation, saying that Paulo Dybala’s recovery was still uncertain. “We’ll see tomorrow. Maybe Massara knows more, but I don’t think Dybala will recover yet,” he said.
