“I’m truly sorry” – Juventus stalwart apologises for his blunder against Lazio | OneFootball

Juventus captain Manuel Locatelli offered an apology for his costly mistake in Sunday’s Serie A clash against Lazio.

The Bianconeri started the game on the right foot, but they just couldn’t find the breakthrough in the first half.

In the end, it was the visitors who stunned the Allianz Stadium by taking a shocking lead just before the interval, and it all stemmed from Locatelli’s howler.

Manuel Locatelli apologises to Juventus fans after gifting Lazio the opener

The Juventus midfielder was slightly overconfident in possession, as he lingered too much on the ball, allowing Daniel Maldini to pick his pocket.

The new Lazio signing then fed Pedro, whose shot deflected off Gleison Bremer’s foot, wrong-footing Michele Di Gregorio.

Manuel Locatelli dispossessed by Daniel Maldini (Photo by Marco Rosi – SS Lazio/Getty Images)

Lazio then added a second through Gustav Isaksen after the break, but Juventus rallied back to salvage a point thanks to Weston McKennie and Pierre Kalulu, who scored the equaliser in the 96th minute.

Nevertheless, Locatelli didn’t shy away from his responsibility, but was quick to make a mea culpa, asking the fans to forgive him for his costly howler.

“I’m truly sorry for my mistake this evening,” posted the 28-year-old on his personal Instagram account after the match

“It’s a disappointing draw, but the team had a great reaction. Fino alla Fine!”

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Luciano Spalletti offered his support for Locatelli

Despite Locatelli’s blunder, Luciano Spalletti defended the skipper, describing him as one of the best players on the pitch.

The manager felt partially responsible for the mistake, as the player was only following his instructions by maintaining possession rather than throwing the ball away when facing danger.

Therefore, the former Sassuolo man can rest assured about his place in the team ahead of the upcoming matches, especially amidst the lack of alternative options.

However, the fans will expect him to avoid replicating this sort of mistake and show more urgency when on the ball.