Daniele De Rossi expressed regret over Nicolae Stanciu’s last-minute penalty miss during Genoa’s 1-1 draw against Milan in Serie A on Thursday night, stating, “I’m sorry for him; he deserved to celebrate, as did the rest of the team after such a performance.”
It was a perplexing evening for Genoa, who are currently in 17th place. They would have been pleased to secure a point before the match, but left San Siro feeling dejected after a dramatic finish.
Lorenzo Colombo gave Genoa the lead in the first half, remaining unanswered until Rafael Leao equalized in the 92nd minute from a corner. Just as the match seemed to be ending, Stanciu had a chance to win it for Genoa with a penalty kick, but he shot over the bar, maintaining the draw.
MILAN, ITALY – JANUARY 08: Rafael Leao of AC Milan takes aim during the Serie A match between AC Milan and Genoa CFC at Giuseppe Meazza Stadium on January 08, 2026. (Photo by Marco Luzzani/Getty Images)
De Rossi on Milan 1-1 Genoa and Stanciu’s Miss: ‘He Deserved to Celebrate’
“It was a fair draw,” De Rossi stated in his post-game interview with DAZN. “Milan didn’t deserve to lose in the second half; however, we felt we had done enough to win. We had a strong first half against a competitive team, but it’s disappointing to end the match this way.”
When asked about Stanciu's selection to take the crucial penalty, De Rossi explained, “Before the match, we designated two penalty takers: Malinovskyi and Martin, but I substituted them both. I decided to let Stanciu take it because I’ve seen his kicking ability in training and he has a phenomenal strike.”
“Considering the other players on the field, I believed it was a sound decision. I feel sorry for him; he’s a dedicated professional who maintains high standards, even when not on the pitch. He deserved to celebrate, just like the other players based on the game we played.”
