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Mihajlovic apologises for spitting

November 25, 2003 22:16 IST
Lazio defender Sinisa Mihajlovic has apologised for the behaviour that got him sent off during the Italian team's Champions League drubbing by Chelsea this month.

Mihajlovic was sent off for two bookable offences and was later handed an eight-match European ban after television footage showed him spitting at Chelsea striker Adrian Mutu. Lazio lost the game in Rome 4-0.

"I would like to take this opportunity to apologise to my team mates, to the coach (Roberto Mancini) and to the club for my sending-off

against Chelsea," Mihajlovic said in a statement on Lazio's official website on Tuesday.

He stopped short, however, of saying sorry to Mutu, who he accused of trying to provoke a reaction.

"I would like to stress that if I behaved badly, it was because I had been provoked in a fairly low way," he said.

"I'm sorry that the TV replay condemned only me, when there were also images that showed what I had to put up with."

Source: REUTERS
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