Ex-Liverpool striker Luis Suarez still denies he racially abused Patrice Evra back in 2011.
The Uruguayan was found guilty and banned for eight domestic matches after the incident in a game between Liverpool and Manchester United, in what was the first of several controversial moments over the course of his Anfield career.
But whilst Suarez admits he was right to apologise for other controversies, the racism row with Evra is something that he clearly feels wronged by.
Speaking to Barcelona’s official website, Suarez said: “When I say I’m sorry it’s because I regret something. Being sorry implies regret.
“But they have also sometimes judged me on things that aren’t true, such as the racism thing. I was accused without evidence and that’s what grieved me the most.
“The others were actions when it was me who did wrong. I accepted that and begged forgiveness, but the racism thing, when I was accused without evidence, that did upset me.”
Speaking about his apology over the Chiellini incident, Suarez added: “It is good to accept that you have made a mistake and that’s what I did. I left it a few days because you have to remember that I’m only human and sometimes it’s hard to face the truth.
“I found it hard to take in and to realise what I had done. Those were days when I didn’t want to know about it. I just wanted to be with my wife and children, who supported me through that time. I didn’t want to listen to anybody, or speak to anybody. I didn’t want to accept it.”
And Suarez admits that he has found it difficult dealing with the ban.
He said: “The first two months were the hardest because I didn’t feel like a footballer. That was the worst part.
“It is always good to accept your mistakes but what angered me most was not feeling like a professional, not feeling like another worker, like other footballers do. That’s what hurt me the most.”
