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Internazionale forward Adriano goes into Wednesday night's Champions League encounter with Porto seeking absolution from his team-mates.
The superstar forward has been at the centre of controversy after returning late from World Cup duty with Brazil last week.
That angered both coach Roberto Mancini, who dropped Adriano for last weekend's 5-0 league drubbing of Livorno, and his fellow players.
However, the 23-year-old, who has been included in Mancini's squad for the game in Portugal, is determined to do all he can to make amends for his indiscretion.
"I apologise," Adriano told the club's official website, www.inter.it.
"I have asked the president to fine me because I have made a mistake and I should pay for it.
"I had the permission of (club owner) Massimo Moratti but I should have asked the club executives and the coach.
"I will talk to my team-mates and hopefully everything will be resolved because I want to do well for Inter."
The Nerazzurri hardly seemed to notice Adriano's absence as they put Livorno to the sword at the weekend.
The Leghorn side had only lost one league match prior to their trip to the San Siro but were left desperately trying to avoid a humiliation after shipping five goals in the opening hour against a rampant Inter.
Inter will be desperate to keep that form going against Porto as they seek to continue their 100% record in Group H.
Adriano said: "I watched the last minutes of the game against Livorno and the team played well.
"Let's hope that we can play in the same manner against Porto, although it's going to be a different game."
Mancini is set to be without Nigerian forward Obafemi Martins, who is struggling with a knee injury, but Uruguayan playmaker Alvaro Recoba should prove a more than capable deputy after scoring for Uruguay last week and netting the fifth goal on his return to the starting line-up on Sunday.
Brazilian goalkeeper Julio Cesar is likely to return to the starting line-up against Porto having been rested at the weekend.
Porto, the 2004 European champions, have endured a dismal start to their Champions League campaign and lie bottom of the standings following defeats to Artmedia Bratislava and Rangers.
The mood in the camp is unlikely to have been improved by last weekend's 2-0 home defeat to bitter rivals Benfica - their first in 14 years.
That was also their first league defeat of the season and left them third in the standings, three points behind leaders Braga.
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Source: Sporting Life |
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