Former Lecce sporting director Pantaleo Corvino says the late Klas Ingesson stopped playing because of the sadness he experienced after missing a penalty.
Today he has been remembered by one of his former directors in Italy, in recalling the penultimate game of the 2000-01 season when Lecce needed to win in Bologna in order to avoid relegation.
Former Lecce sporting director Pantaleo Corvino says the late Klas Ingesson stopped playing because of the sadness he experienced after missing a penalty.
Today he has been remembered by one of his former directors in Italy, in recalling the penultimate game of the 2000-01 season when Lecce needed to win in Bologna in order to avoid relegation.
“The score was at 3-3 on the 90th minute and the referee awarded a penalty to us,” Corvino told Tuttomercatoweb.
“Winning was vital to us because the following weekend we would have faced Lazio who were battling it out for the League with Juventus and Roma.
“Ingesson took the penalty in front of 10,000 Lecce fans. There were that many.
“But Gianluca Pagliuca saved his shot. When we went to the airport, he asked to talk to me.
“He said: ‘I am suffering because I saw so many supporters suffering because of that penalty. This is been my last game as a player. I want to quit’.
“I tried to persuade him that football was like that and that he didn’t have to feel the burden of responsibilities just over his shoulders.
“But then he really stopped playing, even as we won the following weekend against Lazio and we managed to stay up [Ingesson played for 45 minutes and then Mirko Vucinic came on as a substitute in the second half].
“Ten days ago I called him because I had read that he had stopped coaching but he didn’t answer the phone. To learn about his death made me feel bad.
“I knew a person with a noble soul.”