Football
Ben Gladwell, Italy correspondent 8y

Carlos Bacca apologises to Milan teammate M'Baye Niang for penalty

AC Milan forward Carlos Bacca has apologised to teammate M'Baye Niang for taking a penalty in the Rossoneri's 3-2 win over Torino on Saturday, but said he needed that goal for his first ever hat trick.

Bacca, 29, had scored 49 goals for Sevilla, 31 for Club Bruges and 18 for Milan up to Sunday night, but he had never managed three in one game. That opportunity presented itself at the San Siro when Milan were awarded a penalty with the Colombian already on two goals for the evening.

"Niang wanted to take it, but I have to say sorry to him because I simply couldn't not take this one," Bacca, who celebrated his strike first with the French forward -- Milan's designated penalty taker -- told reporters.

"This hat trick is dedicated to my son, whose been asking me over and over again to take the match ball home for him. I'd promised this to him."

Bacca also explained his decision to stay at the club rather than join Premier League club West Ham United, a move that had looked likely to happen for much of the summer transfer window.

"When the offer came in, we discussed it in our family and I decided to stay," Bacca said. "I stayed because I want to take Milan back into Europe. I'm happy to wear this shirt and I defend it with a lot of pride."

Even an improved bid from the Hammers will not tempt Milan to sell, according to the Rossoneri's general manager Adriano Galliani.

"Carlos told me before training on Saturday that West Ham were going to make a better offer and he asked me what I thought about it," Galliani said. "

I told him that I felt he should stay at Milan and he said he felt the same, and that he will be staying -- he was just provoking me because he wanted to hear me say that we want him to stay. When he scored a hat trick today, I was moved."

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