Ethan Ampadu sets unwanted Serie A record on loan from Chelsea at Spezia

It was not a good start to the contest for the Wales international as he felled Ciro Immobile in the penalty box just 39 seconds into the match, setting the record for fastest spot-kick ever conceded in Serie A.

Ampadu was also booked for the challenge, but he was pleased to see Immobile pick himself up to miss the penalty in a dramatic opening minute of the game.

That may have eased the defender’s embarrassment, but not for long as Lazio went on to win 4-0 and Ampadu was taken off after 66 minutes, with Spezia already three goals behind.

Ampadu is hoping to play regularly in Serie A and be a big part of Wales’ World Cup campaign which starts next month.

He has played three times for Spezia so far, also starting in a win over Sampdoria and a narrow defeat to Napoli, while he started Wales’ 2-1 Nations League loss to Belgium over the international break.

Wales boss Robert Page encouraged Ampadu to move away from Chelsea to get more game time ahead of the World Cup if he would not get on the pitch much at Stamford Bridge.

‘Ethan has proved in the last two to three years he’s not afraid to go and play games,’ Page said over the summer.

‘He’s done it in the Premier League, Bundesliga, and he’s gone over to Italy to play.

‘He was back in the Chelsea squad on the weekend, so perhaps they have seen that he’s going to add value to the squad. He’s had a pre-season to help him, and it’s great if he’s playing and a part of it. But if he’s not, then that’s something he might have to address.’

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