“A World Cup winning penalty taker was still on the pitch Katherine Walsh, Digital sports reporter Published: 19:51, 5 Mar 2025 Updated: 20:03, 5 Mar 2025 SIMONE Inzaghi’s hand gesture backfired after his chosen player MISSED a penalty against Feyenoord in the Champions League. With Inter Milan 2-0 up, Inzaghi told his team that midfielder”, — write: www.thesun.co.uk
- Katherine Walsh, Digital sports reporter
- Published: 19:51, 5 Mar 2025
- Updated: 20:03, 5 Mar 2025
With Inter Milan 2-0 up, Inzaghi told his team that midfielder Piotr Zielinski should take the spot-kick in the first-leg of their last-16 clash.
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Inter Milan boss Inzaghi’s gesture backfired after his chosen player scuffed a penalty against Feyenoord
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Piotr Zielinski missed out on the chance of putting Inter 3-0 upCredit: ReutersInter goalscorer Marcus Thuram drew a foul in the box after Jeyland Mitchell clipped the back of the Frenchman’s leg in the 63rd minute.
After initially waving on, referee Espen Eskas overturned his decision after being sent to the monitor.
The camera then panned to Inter boss Inzaghi who was holding seven fingers up to his players waiting near the penalty spot.
The former Lazio boss held seven fingers up to signal Zielinski’s No.7 shirt on the pitch.
But in a dramatic turn of events, Zielinski’s limp shot was easy kept out by goalkeeper Timon Wellenreuther.
The Polish star missed out on the chance to put Inter 3-0 up in the first-leg of their last-16 away tie in the Netherlands.
Inzaghi’s mistimed intervention came about because No.1 penalty taker Hakan Calhanoglu was sitting on the bench.
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Zielinski had just returned to the starting line up at the expense of former Manchester United star Henrikh Mkhitaryan.
Lautaro Martinez was still on the pitch for Inter at the time of the decision.
Martinez scored his penalty in Argentina’s shootout victory over the Netherlands in the semi-final of the Qatar World Cup in 2022.
He was also due to take the fifth spot-kick for Argentina in the final against France, but his country had already claimed a 4-2 win before his turn came.
Martinez doubled Inter’s lead in the 50th minute, after Thuram grabbed their opener.
Zielinski had scored his last two spot-kicks in the same game against Juventus in Serie A in October.
Usual penalty taker Halhanoglu has endured a torrid time in 2025 and was benched after coming off injured during Inter’s 1-1 draw against title rivals Napoli.