Football
Ben Gladwell, Italy correspondent 9y

Gonzalo Higuain spat over, Parma keeper Antonio Mirante says

Parma goalkeeper Antonio Mirante has accepted an apology from Gonzalo Higuain for the insults that led to the Napoli forward being fined €10,000, adding that he would gladly pay half of that sanction.

The pair had to be separated by teammates at the end of a fiery 2-2 draw that dented Napoli's hopes of qualifying for the Champions League next season.

Parma are already relegated while their players have not received any wages since last August, and Higuain is reported to have been angered by the effort they put into the match.

Mirante, though, said that the Argentina striker realised after the initial disappointment that Parma had just done themselves and the league justice, and apologised for his actions.

"After the game, Gonzalo sent me a text message and that was the end of it for me," Mirante said in quotes published on Parma's official website. "The fact there were so many nerve endings on show at the end of the match is also down to the fact that it was a competitive match.

"We've been involved in so many non-football-related matters for weeks and so it was just the kind of tension you could come to expect. If we concede a goal, it's like being given a double blow, and that was the problem in our games against Cagliari and Lazio [both 4-0 defeats].

"Against Napoli, who are a great side, it was an important game for us and it was one of our last opportunities to show ourselves off -- to show all of our pride and dignity."

They did that by damaging Napoli's hopes of qualifying for the Champions League, although Mirante said he will be backing them to make it by winning the Europa League this season.

"I've always made it known that I have a soft spot for Napoli," he added. "I'm from Castellamare [di Stabia] and I could never be against them. I cheered for the result, and punching the air was my way of showing how proud I was.

"At Christmas, I gifted a shirt from Higuain to some students at a school in Nola. And on Thursday, I'm going to be in front of my television cheering Napoli on [against Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk].

"Let's do it like this -- I will pay €5,000 and Gonzalo the other €5,000, and then we can let that be an end to this whole subject."

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