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Arsene Wenger has finally apologised for his involvement in the touchline fracas with Jose Mourinho last week, but did add that he felt he was provoked by the Chelsea manager.
Over a week has passed since the heated incident during Chelsea's 2-0 win over Arsenal at Stamford Bridge in the Premier League, where Wenger shoved his arch nemesis during the row. Wenger initially said that he did not regret it, but he now seems to have changed his tune.
The Frenchman, talking to French television show Telefoot, said: "They gave too much importance to this story. In hindsight I think I should not have reacted at all, it’s not a way to behave on a football field.
"I always regret any signs of violence and I apologise, but that’s a part of games where everything is manic. And then we have quite a substantial past. Did Mourinho provoke me? That is how I felt. I did not enter Chelsea’s technical area."
Wenger had said directly after the match: "No, what is there to regret? I wanted to go from A to B and somebody confronted me before B without any sign of welcome." Wenger was asked where he considered "B" to be. He replied: "Sanchez, to see how badly he was injured.”
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