Kanoute: No slur from Cesc

Sevilla’s Frederic Kanoute has dismissed speculation Cesc Fabregas racially abused him when the pair clashed earlier this season.

Former Mali international Kanoute, 34, was shown a red card after lashing out at the Spain midfielder in Sevilla’s match away to Barcelona on October 22.

The two men squared up following a controversial late penalty, which Lionel Messi missed for Barcelona, in the 0-0 draw Camp Nou.

There have been rumours that Kanoute’s actions had been provoked by racial abuse but he insists otherwise.

“I will not explain what he said, it’s personal,” Kanoute told the BBC.

“It is sometimes the case that bad language is used in the field of play and some players react.”

“That’s what happened to me, but I never said that he was racist or that he had made any racist comment. I have to be honest in this respect.”

Kanoute is out of contract at the end of the season and has been linked with a move away from Estadio Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan in the January transfer window.

But he announced earlier this month that he will stay until at least the end of the 2011/12 campaign.