Eto'o apologises for Real Madrid insult
(Agencies)
Updated: 2005-05-17 10:48

 Barcelona striker Samuel Eto'o has begged for forgiveness over his insulting comments about his former club Real Madrid during Barca's title celebrations.

Barcelona striker Samuel Eto'o delivers an apology for his words against Real Madrid soccer team during a press conference at the Nou Camp stadium, Barcelona, May 16, 2005. [Reuters]

The 24-year-old Cameroon international, the leading scorer in the Primera Liga, chanted "Madrid, cabron, saluda al campeon" (Madrid, bastards, hail the champions) into the microphone during a speech at the Nou Camp on Sunday.

Many of the 100,000 fans at the stadium to celebrate the club's first league title in six years joined in the chorus.

"I would like to ask forgiveness for what I said," Eto'o told a news conference on Monday. "One thing is what you think and another is what you say.

"I would like to ask the fans, the club and anyone else who might have felt offended to accept a thousand apologies from me. I never wanted to show any lack of respect to anyone.

"What happened was that in a moment of joy I started to sing and that was all. If it hadn't been for Real Madrid I would never have got this far, so I beg forgiveness and hope that people will understand me."

Eto'o's behaviour during the title festivities met widespread criticism.

"This character is a fantastic player, but he leaves a lot to be desired as a person," president of the federation of Real Madrid fan clubs, Fermin Calero, was quoted as saying on the Real Madrid website.

"He has forgotten that it was Real Madrid that first allowed him to escape hunger and with these unfortunate declarations the only thing he has done is to encourage violence."

Eto'o was spotted by a Real Madrid scout when he was 15 playing for Cameroon in a youth tournament in the Ivory Coast and was taken from his homeland to sign for Real 1996.

Barcelona president Joan Laporta said the incident had been unfortunate.

"I don't think they (the remarks) were ill-intentioned and they should be understood in the context that they took place, at a celebration party and in an atmosphere of unrestrained euphoria, but they are difficult to justify."

Spanish TV compared Eto'o's comments to those made by Luis Figo when he celebrated Barcelona's last title triumph in 1999.

The Portuguese winger shouted "Blancos, llorones, felicitad a los campeones" (Real Madrid, cry babies, hail the champions) from a balcony to celebrating crowds, just a year before signing for Real.

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