Sagnol sorry for comments

Paris - Bordeaux coach Willy Sagnol has apologised for comments he made about African players in football, although he maintains they were misinterpreted.

Sagnol, capped 58 times by France and a member of the team which lost the 2006 World Cup final, gave a question and answer session Tuesday to readers of Sud Ouest regional newspaper when he said African players are "ready for combat, but football isn't just about that," adding that "football is also (about) technique, intelligence. You need a bit of everything. You need Nordics too, Nordics are good."

Speaking Thursday at a pre-match news conference ahead of Saturday's game with Lens, Sagnol said if "I may have shocked, humiliated or hurt people then I am sorry."

Lens coach Antoine Kombouare is among those angered by Sagnol's comments.