Memphis Depay apologises to Corinthians fans for missed penalty

Memphis Depay has apologised to Corinthians supporters for the penalty he missed in the 1-0 defeat by Estudiantes, a result that put the Brazilian club out of the Copa Libertadores.

The Netherlands forward posted his message on Instagram three days after the second leg. He described himself as "heartbroken" and wrote: "I understand and accept all the criticism and emotions that come with this moment, but I will never, ever stop trying to make even greater history at this club and to put Corinthians, together with the team and the fans, in the place the club deserves."

He went on: "I want to apologise to the fans, to the millions of people who believed in our dream of winning the Libertadores. This breaks my heart. The penalty that could have kept us in the game became the biggest disappointment of my career so far. I had full confidence in how I should strike the ball, as I have done many times in my career, but the result was painful."

Depay has been at Corinthians since October 2024 and has scored twice for the club. Euro-Football.ru reports that he had already been caught up in a row in the first leg, when he showed the Estudiantes fans a middle finger.

He also spoke about his contract and his form. "The reason I came to this beautiful club was always to show my talent, my discipline and my work ethic. Two years on, we created wonderful memories, but that is over and belongs to the past. I renewed my contract fully aware of the situation, knowing things would not be easy, as my year so far has been bad."

He closed with a word for the supporters. "My heart filled with joy when I received your support. From the fans who were there when I needed them most. That is why this result hurts even more!"