John Arne Riise is still traumatised by his howler against Shakhtar Donetsk, so the Roma man explained all in his blog. “I didn't sleep.”
The defender fell over to give away the third goal in their 3-2 home Champions League defeat to Shakhtar and was substituted at half-time.
“I just got back to my apartment and don't feel great, but I need to write some things down,” began his blog on johnarneriise.no.
John Arne Riise is still traumatised by his howler against Shakhtar Donetsk, so the Roma man explained all in his blog. “I didn't sleep.”
The defender fell over to give away the third goal in their 3-2 home Champions League defeat to Shakhtar and was substituted at half-time.
“I just got back to my apartment and don't feel great, but I need to write some things down,” began his blog on johnarneriise.no.
“There were some tough moments after the game. The error was decisive and difficult to accept. I think we played well up until the Ukrainians took the lead with their first two chances.
“Then I was unlucky to slip, losing the ball that allowed them to score. Basically, I feel terrible. I didn't sleep last night, it is a difficult moment from a psychological point of view but, as always, I will not let an error ruin everything.”
Riise apologised to fans after his howler, but supporters staged a protest during today's training session.
The Norwegian is not new to Champions League embarrassment, as he famously scored a Liverpool own goal in the semi-final.
“The team is going through a difficult time and we get the feeling everything is going wrong. I have experienced adversity on the football field and know this is sport, so have overcome them in the past and can guarantee I'll get back on my feet again.
“I am very sorry for the team and the fans, but I am a capable person and will work hard to make up for it. Trust me!
“I understand the frustration of the supporters. All I can say is that I am truly sorry that my mistake proved to be so crucial. Everyone makes errors during a game, but when a defender does it, you usually end up conceding a goal.
“I hope the rapport between myself and the fans is not weakened after this mistake. I just have to forget the last two weeks and look to the future.
“We must be a team, returning to our level both individually and collectively to get back to winning ways.”