The Controversy Unveiled: Andreas Pereira's Act of Sabotage Leads to Depay's Penalty Miss in Corinthians-Palmeiras Derby

Memphis Depay slipped and missed a penalty in Corinthians' derby clash with Palmeiras in the Paulista A1 on Sunday, after an act of sabotage from his ex-Manchester United team-mate Andreas Pereira. Depay blew the chance to open the scoring from the spot in the first half, and Corinthians ended up losing 1-0, with Jose Manuel Lopez scoring the winner for Palmeiras in the 84th minute.Depay may not have missed the spot kick had it not been for Pereira's antics. The Palmeiras midfielder was spotted using his feet to scuff the penalty spot before Depay stepped up. ESPN's refereeing commentator, Renata Ruel, stated that Pereira's actions warranted a yellow card, but only if the referee had noticed – VAR could not intervene.Fortunately for Pereira, match official Raphael Claus did not see the incident. Depay then lost his footing as he made contact with the ball, and it floated harmlessly wide. Depay spoke out on social media after the game, pointing to Pereira's underhanded tactics before issuing a rallying cry to supporters. "Last night's result doesn't reflect what the game was like. We showed for most of the game that we wanted it more than they did, but unfortunately we weren't efficient enough," he wrote on Instagram."The penalty incident leaves a bitter taste because I've never slipped up in my entire career. Everyone saw what happened, but it's okay. I take responsibility. I'm keeping my head held high and I believe in my team. With the fans supporting us, we will soon win more trophies. Let's move forward."It was, however, the second penalty miss of Depay's career at Corinthians to date. Last season, he was left embarrassed after seeing his Panenka effort against Mirassol caught by the goalkeeper.Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reportingDepay and Pereira played together at Man Utd between 2015 and 2017, helping the club to FA Cup, Europa League and League Cup honours. Pereira stayed at Old Trafford until 2022, but Depay left for Lyon in the summer of 2017 after falling out of favour with then-Red Devils boss Jose Mourinho, and went on to play for Barcelona and Atletico Madrid, before joining Corinthians in 2024.He is due back in action when Corinthians face Red Bull Bragantino in the Brazilian Serie A on Thursday, while Pereira and Palmeiras will travel to Internacional the following day.Auto translated by GOAL-e

The Derby Drama Unfolds

In a heated derby clash between Corinthians and Palmeiras in the Paulista A1, tensions ran high as Memphis Depay, the star forward for Corinthians, faced a crucial penalty opportunity. However, what followed was unexpected and controversial.

Andreas Pereira's Underhanded Tactics

Andreas Pereira, a former teammate of Depay at Manchester United, was caught on camera tampering with the penalty spot using his feet just before Depay took his shot. The sneaky act seemed to have influenced the outcome of the penalty kick, as Depay slipped and missed the target.

The Aftermath and Response

Following the match, Depay took to social media to address the incident, expressing his disappointment but also rallying support for his team. He acknowledged the bitter taste left by the missed penalty but remained optimistic about the future.

History Revisited: Depay's Past Penalty Struggles

Interestingly, this was not the first time Depay faced penalty woes at Corinthians, as he had previously missed a Panenka effort in a previous season. The recent slip-up added to his penalty woes, highlighting a recurring challenge for the talented forward.

Former Teammates Turned Rivals

Depay and Pereira, once teammates at Manchester United, crossed paths again on opposite sides of the pitch in the Corinthians-Palmeiras derby. The controversial incident added a new chapter to their relationship, marked by competition and tension on the field.