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Davy Klaassen does not blame Marcos Leonardo for the unusual exchange over a penalty in FC Groningen - Ajax, he tells ESPN after the match. Leonardo wanted to take it, but the Ajax captain stood firm.
On the pitch, the pair had a lengthy discussion before Klaassen took the penalty and missed.
"Leo won the penalty and he really wanted to take it. But an agreement is an agreement: I take it," says Klaassen, who is first on the list.
Klaassen added: "We had a brief discussion about it. Yes, he's a striker, he wants to score. That's perfectly understandable, but I have to take responsibility at that moment."
There was no argument, Klaassen insisted. "It may have looked as though we were arguing, but we weren't."
Shortly afterwards, Klaassen appeared to concede a penalty himself with a risky tackle on Brynjólfur Willumsson. After a lengthy VAR check, Dennis Higler decided not to point to the spot.
Backing Higler's decision, Klaassen said: "I felt I slid past in front of him, not into him." He added: "We both go past the ball. He misses the ball too. But I'm not a referee."