MONTPELLIER, France (AFP)
Younes Belhanda apologised on Thursday after criticising his
team-mate Olivier Giroud for refusing to take a penalty in
Montpellier's 2-2 draw with Evian on Tuesday.
Belhanda was sent off in injury time of the game following an
altercation with Evian's Cedric Mongongu, moments before
Souleymane Camara failed to score a penalty that would have sent
Montpellier eight points clear at the Ligue 1 summit.
Instead, Montpellier's faux pas allowed second-placed Paris
Saint-Germain to close the gap to just three points with three
games of the season remaining, and defending champions Lille are
two points further back in third.
Belhanda subsequently gave an interview to sport daily L'Equipe,
published on Thursday, in which he accused Giroud of "not
assuming his responsibilities" by allowing Camara to take the
spot-kick against Evian.
However, in a statement on his Facebook page that appeared on
Thursday evening, the 21-year-old Moroccan playmaker said he had
spoken out of turn.
"I'd like to apologise to my team-mates for the buzz that my
comments caused," Belhanda said. "It was frustration that made me
talk and I shouldn't have spoken to the press."
He added: "I'd particularly like to apologise to Souley and
Olivier. I'll be with the squad 100 percent until the end, even
if I can't express myself on the pitch."
Belhanda's red card means he is likely to miss Montpellier's
remaining games this season.
He left training early on Thursday following a meeting chaired by
Montpellier president Louis Nicollin, but coach Rene Girard said
he had simply gone for an x-ray on his fibula.
Girard earlier expressed frustration at the story that had
appeared in L'Equipe.
"The s(expletive) is not our doing," he told reporters.
"There was a problem in the match against Evian. It's (the
media's) job to be honest and says who's responsible for the
s(expletive).
"I read L'Equipe this morning. There's a whole paragraph saying
that Belhanda clashed with Mongongu and two lines saying that
Mongongu hit Belhanda twice. I don't understand."
He added: "There are more interesting things to see at
Montpellier, or maybe it shows that people don't like the club.
We don't need that. We want to work in peace. I've read
everything except the truth."
Montpellier visit Rennes on Monday evening, by which time they
could find themselves second in the table if PSG win at
Valenciennes on Sunday.
