Inter-owned Basel striker Sebastiano Esposito is sorry for recent controversial incidents he has been involved in with the Swiss club.
Writing to Basel fans in a message on his Instagram account, the 19-year-old emphasized that he must grow up after a red card against Grasshoppers and after refusing to come off the bench against Qarabag.
Esposito was at the centre of controversy when he refused to come off the bench as a substitute late in the second half of Basel’s Europa Conference League group stage match against Basel earlier this month.
Things got even worse for the young striker when he picked up a straight red card late in the second half of his club’s 2-2 draw with Grasshoppers yesterday.
The on-loan striker was sent off for an altercation with opposition players, and his conduct is threatening to overshadow his form on the pitch.
However, the 19-year-old recognizes that these incidents have been a problem and wants to apologize to the fans and to his teammates and the club.
“This is not a particularly easy period for me, but I have to try to put it in the past by doing the right thing,” he writes.
“I apologize to everyone,” he continues, “the fans, the club (who made me feel at home from day one), teammates (who have become like a second family as I’ve been here), and my opponents.”
He goes on that”It is always said that us young players must gain experience and I have understood that in these difficult moments we learn and grow, understanding mistakes and taking responsibility.”
“It is in these moments that, facing the difficulty with the right mentality, you can become great,” he adds.
Esposito continues that “It is useless to look for justifications: the anger and frustration about injuries, the lack of the ball at my feet, and the adrenaline of a goal, none of these justify inappropriate actions.”
“But they help to understand the roots of these incidents, to reflect, reason, and learn,” he adds.
“Moreover, they help to potentially improve, as a person and as a footballer,” he goes on. “The time has come to be a man, age is just a number and it won’t stop me from growing.”
He concludes, “Now I can only turn the page and work hard to build a better future. Forza Basel!”