Aleksandar Mitrovic has apologised to referee Chris Kavanagh and expressed his regret after he was sent off for pushing the official during Fulham's recent FA Cup defeat against Manchester United.
Mitrovic had fired the Londoners into a second-half lead in their quarter-final tie at Old Trafford earlier this month. However, the match was turned on its head after Willian deliberately stopped a shot on the line with his hand. Fulham boss Marco Silva saw red whilst Kavanagh was checking the incident via VAR before an incensed Mitrovic put his hands on the match official. The Serbian striker, along with Willian, was also sent off, leaving Fulham with just nine men.
Manchester United scored their penalty and went on to win the tie 3-1, much to the dismay of the Whites, who had been the better team before the second-half flashpoint.
Mitrovic is expected to receive a lengthy ban for his actions at Old Trafford. And the 28-year-old, who has widely been condemned for his actions, has broken his silence on the incident, revealing he has apologised to Kavanagh and accepted a club fine.
The Fulham striker said: “On a personal level, I regret my actions that led to me being sent off. I allowed my frustration to get the better of me, and how I reacted was wrong. I was trying to get the referee's attention, but I appreciate that I should not have put my hands on him and I understand why he showed me a red card, my first in-game sending off for Fulham and my first since the 2015-16 season.
“I have accepted the three-match ban for my red card, I have spoken to Chris Kavanagh to apologise, and I have volunteered to accept a club fine. I now want to do what I can to put this incident behind me and get back to helping my team-mates on the pitch as soon as possible.”
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The Fulham boss has also publicly apologised for his outburst at Kavanagh. Silva, who allegedly threw a water bottle in the direction of the referee, said: “I should have controlled my own emotions better.
“I regret what happened and I have spoken to Chris Kavanagh to apologise. He knows I respect him and the job he does. Unfortunately, we did not see eye-to-eye on the day but I recognise that he is one of the top referees in this country.
“I know that, when our paths cross again, there will be mutual respect.”
The standard ban for a red card is three matches, however, The FA have already indicated that their regular punishment is "clearly insufficient" in the wake of Mitrovic's conduct. The striker has been charged with violent and improper conduct, while Silva has been charged with abusive behaviour towards match officials.
