Manuel Locatelli explains why he decided to step up for decisive Juventus penalty | OneFootball

Juventus captain Manuel Locatelli tells how he felt the obligation to convert the crucial spot-kick himself in Sunday’s contest in Venice.

The Bianconeri had to beat Venezia on the final day of the Serie A campaign to remain ahead of Roma and Lazio and book their place in the Champions League next season.

But just over a minute into the game, it became evident that this won’t be a walk in the park, as the Venetians had already seized the lead through Daniel Fila.

Juventus prevail in thrilling contest in Venice

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Later in the first half, Igor Tudor’s men managed to turn the result upside down thanks to goals from Kenan Yildiz and Randal Kolo Muani.

Nevertheless, Venezia refused to give up, so they charged forward once again in the hopes of escaping relegation. The home side eventually drew level through Ridgeciano Haps, as the Bianconeri feared their Champions League hopes could evaporate at the final turn.

But luckily for Juventus, Francisco Conceicao cleverly won a spot-kick while attempting to dribble Hans Nicolussi Caviglia.

The fans expected either Kolo Muani or Yildiz to step up, but instead, it was Locatelli who decided to convert the penalty.

Why Locatelli took the Juventus spot-kick

The skipper sent an excellent shot to the top corner. Although Andrei Radu had guessed it correctly, the power and precision took it beyond his reach. This proved to be the decisive goal that settled an epic race for fourth place.

After the contest, Locatelli explained that his decision to step up and take the spot-kick stemmed from his responsibility as Juventus captain.

“I congratulate all the lads, we gave it our all,” said the midfielder in his post-match interview with Sky Sport Italia as published by the official Juventus website.

“I am happy and proud to have scored this penalty, I am the captain and I had to take this responsibility.

“I’m happy with this victory and with qualifying for the next Champions League, which was our goal.”