Roma, Hummels: “This one I will never forgive myself.”
A mistake he will hardly forget; Hummels
Mats Hummels has no doubts: the ejection against Athletic Bilbao è was the biggest mistake of his career. In an episode of his podcast, the German defender spoke candidly about the incident that marked his experience with Roma and had dramatic consequences for the team. The expulsion, which occurred after only 10 minutes of play, condemned Roma to play for more than 80 minutes in a numerical inferiority, making qualification for the Europa League quarterfinals impossible.
Hummels acknowledged that he made a very serious mistake, explaining that è it was a personal failure that weighed on the fate of the team. "È it was the most serious mistake of my career," he said. Although he has made other carelessnesses in the past, such as the one against Real Madrid in 2013, in which the team still managed to win, this time there was no escape. "This doomed Roma", Hummels added, speaking of the heaviness of knowing that his teammates were suffering because of his carelessness.
The defender also revealed his frustration with the expulsion, judging it harsh. In his opinion, it would not have been a red card incident, but the fact that it had occurred in Roma’s half of the field and near the center of the game affected him unexpectedly. "If the referee had given a yellow, I don't think the Var would have changed it to a red", he said.
Despite the harsh criticism from fans, Hummels found support in the group and stressed how important the sense of family is at Roma. "I have rarely seen such a positive reaction from a team", he concluded, referring to the solidarity" of teammates.
