Marco Carnesecchi tries to reassure his former teammate Andrea Pinamonti after saving two of the Sassuolo striker’s penalties for Atalanta this evening.
“It was pure instinct, penalties are always a lottery,” Carnesecchi told Sky Sport Italia after the 3-0 win.
“Pinamonti is a great striker, a great guy, and I send him a big hug. I know how difficult this moment must feel for him.”
The game was in the balance at the Gewiss Stadium this evening when Mario Pasalic had opened the scoring and the Neroverdi received a penalty on the stroke of half-time.
With Domenico Berardi injured, having converted all five of their penalties this season, Pinamonti stepped up and saw the effort saved by Carnesecchi.
VAR warned it had to be retaken due to encroachment from an Atalanta defender who cleared the rebound, so Pinamonti changed angle and that too was parried.
“I have known Pinamonti for many years, we played together for the Italy Under-20 and Under-21 teams, so we know each other very well,” explained the goalkeeper.
“I know he tends to go for the near corner, but also that he knows I know that, so would try to surprise me going the other way.
“When that is what happened and I saved the first one, I figured he would go for the more reliable version and I went the opposite way.”
Remarkably, considering that he saved two in a row this evening, saving a penalty was a new experience for Carnesecchi.
“I had never saved a penalty in Serie A before, so I was glad to get that off my chest.”
The 23-year-old is one of several Italian shot-stoppers who dream of representing the Azzurri, but is behind the likes of Gianluigi Donnarumma, Ivan Provedel and Guglielmo Vicario in the pecking order.
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