The English Football Association is investigating a social media post made by Manchester United striker Edinson Cavani which contained a Spanish phrase that can be interpreted as being offensive.
Cavani deleted the post, sent to a friend on Instagram, after being made aware of the phrase’s meaning in the UK.
If found guilty, Cavani would face a minimum of a three-match ban.
The 32-year-old scored twice, as United came from 2-0 down to beat Southampton 3-2 on Sunday.
“The message I posted after the game on Sunday was intended as an affectionate greeting to a friend, thanking him for his congratulations after the game,” Cavani said in a statement on Monday.
“The last thing I wanted to do was cause offense to anyone. I am completely opposed to racism and deleted the message as soon as it was explained that it can be interpreted differently. I would like to sincerely apologize for this.”
