‘Devastated’ Locatelli breaks his silence after Italy heartbreak: “Tears in my eyes” | OneFootball

Juventus captain Manuel Locatelli expressed his sorrow as Italy failed to reach the World Cup for the third time in a row.

Gennaro Gattuso’s men were hoping to make up for the national team’s previous shortcomings in the play-off.

The Azzurri were off to a good start after beating Northern Ireland in the semi-final held in Bergamo last Thursday, but they couldn’t finish the job in Bosnia.

Italy fail to reach the World Cup for third successive time

On Tuesday evening, Italy thought they were on the right path as they took an early lead through Moise Kean, but Alessandro Bastoni’s red card in the 40th minute sabotaged their plans.

The 10-man Azzurri desperately tried to defend the result, but Haris Tabakovic ended their resistance with a 79th-minute equaliser.

The two sides then headed to penalty shootouts, and Bosnia comfortably emerged as the winners. The hosts were flawless in their four attempts, while the visitors only scored through Sandro Tonali, as young Francesco Pio Esposito (who surprisingly took the first spot-kick) fired high and wide, while Bryan Cristante struck the crossbar.

The Roma captain had come in as a replacement for his Juventus counterpart, Locatelli, who was one of the best players on the pitch during his 72-minute appearance.

Manuel Locatelli apologises to Italy supporters

Sadly for Locatelli, his hardworking display proved insufficient, as his compatriots weren’t able to defend the result following his exit.

After the heartbreak, the 28-year-old addressed Tuesday’s events, expressing his deep distress.

“I’m devastated, drained, with tears in my eyes,” posted the Juventus skipper on his Instagram account.

“We felt a responsibility to the children, families, grandparents, and all the Italians who supported us. We gave everything, and I’m proud of this group.

“We players, the coach, and the entire staff were united for this dream. We gave everything, but we weren’t able to give you this World Cup. We have failed, that’s the reality. And I feel the full weight of it.

“To those who have always been close to us and to those who will continue to support us, I say thank you from the bottom of my heart. It’s tough, very tough, but let’s get up together. There won’t be a day when I don’t give my all on the pitch.”

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