Liverpool reserve-team goalkeeper Charles Itandje has played down the furore surrounding his behaviour at the Hillsborough memorial service.
The service took place on Wednesday and fans flocked to Anfield to pay their respects for the 96 supporters who lost their lives during the 1989 FA Cup semi-final between Liverpool and Nottingham Forest.
Itandje was caught by television cameras nudging and laughing at unsuspecting team-mate Damian Plessis during the service and has been suspended for 14 days while the club investigate the incident.
The shot-stopper, who has made just seven first-team appearances since signing from Lens in 2007, has apologised for his behaviour and insists that the incident has been blown out of all proportion.
"It is a 30-second clip about which people are going overboard," he told Aujourd'hui Sport newspaper.
"You need to see an hour of the video if you want to judge my behaviour, but you know the papers over there (England). They make a big deal of things."
When asked to explain what he was doing on the clip, Itandje said: "No idea. I haven't even seen it. I don't know at what moment it was being filmed."
The Frenchman also added that it had not been explained what would happen during his suspension.
"I have had no explanation," he highlighted.
"I have not even had the opportunity to explain myself to the club. Sammy Lee, the assistant manager, called me on Friday morning to tell me not to turn up at training.
"It does not change a great deal, as I am already on the transfer list. I should be leaving this summer. I am not used in the team.
"I don't want to seem paranoid, but I hope this is not linked with my situation at the club.
"It's not the club I need to explain myself to; it's the families (of the Hillsborough victims).
"I sympathise with them and I would like to tell them that."
The service took place on Wednesday and fans flocked to Anfield to pay their respects for the 96 supporters who lost their lives during the 1989 FA Cup semi-final between Liverpool and Nottingham Forest.
Itandje was caught by television cameras nudging and laughing at unsuspecting team-mate Damian Plessis during the service and has been suspended for 14 days while the club investigate the incident.
The shot-stopper, who has made just seven first-team appearances since signing from Lens in 2007, has apologised for his behaviour and insists that the incident has been blown out of all proportion.
"It is a 30-second clip about which people are going overboard," he told Aujourd'hui Sport newspaper.
"You need to see an hour of the video if you want to judge my behaviour, but you know the papers over there (England). They make a big deal of things."
When asked to explain what he was doing on the clip, Itandje said: "No idea. I haven't even seen it. I don't know at what moment it was being filmed."
The Frenchman also added that it had not been explained what would happen during his suspension.
"I have had no explanation," he highlighted.
"I have not even had the opportunity to explain myself to the club. Sammy Lee, the assistant manager, called me on Friday morning to tell me not to turn up at training.
"It does not change a great deal, as I am already on the transfer list. I should be leaving this summer. I am not used in the team.
"I don't want to seem paranoid, but I hope this is not linked with my situation at the club.
"It's not the club I need to explain myself to; it's the families (of the Hillsborough victims).
"I sympathise with them and I would like to tell them that."
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