Sassuolo goalkeeper Andrea Consigli claims overconfidence was behind his dreadful own goal in Monday's (AEST) Serie A loss to Fiorentina.

The 29 year-old contrived to turn the ball into his own net when under no pressure inside the penalty area, handing Paulo Sousa's side some late breathing space in its 3-1 win.

The incident caused bemusement for supporters - with the defeat effectively ending Sassuolo's hopes of a top-five finish - and quickly became a trending topic on social media.

Consigli conceded after the match that he had been made to pay for his complacency but insisted the error was a one-off.

"My role can be very gratifying, but it can also lead to some bad moments," he said. "After the own-goal I used some pretty harsh language, obviously, but these things happen and you must try to let them slip away.

"There's certainly been a touch of superficiality on my side that exposed me to a few extra risks. I was overconfident and I tried a first-touch play in the wrong position.

"You've got to consider the performance of a goalkeeper over the whole tournament. Luckily I don't make many mistakes like this. It's part of my job, which has good and bad sides.

"I know things like this can happen. I train and I work to do my best, and if I get called-up [for Italy] I'll be happy."

Fiorentina's win took it back to within six points of the top three.