Mihajlovic says 'sorry'

Lazio's Yugoslav defender Sinisa Mihajlovic, who is serving a two-match suspension for remarks directed at Arsenal's Patrick Vieira in last week's Champions' League game between the two clubs, last night made a public apology to his club's fans and urged them to denounce racism.

Lazio's Yugoslav defender Sinisa Mihajlovic, who is serving a two-match suspension for remarks directed at Arsenal's Patrick Vieira in last week's Champions' League game between the two clubs, last night made a public apology to his club's fans and urged them to denounce racism.

Minutes before the start of Lazio's Group B game against Ukraine's Shakhtar Donetsk in Rome's Olympic Stadium, Mihajlovic told the crowd: "I know I made a mistake and I want to use this latest European fixture to send my sincere apologies to all those who rightly felt offended by the phrase I used in a particularly tense moment in the match."