Russian soccer player apologizes for road rage beating

MOSCOW (AP) — Spartak Moscow midfielder Ayaz Guliyev has apologized after he was accused of hitting a pedestrian with his car before getting out and beating him.

Spartak says Guliyev was driving to training on Wednesday when he “got into a conflict with a pedestrian and used brute force against him.”

Spartak says “both sides resolved their conflict” soon after.

In a statement on the club website, Guliyev says “I behaved aggressively and admit my guilt.” He also apologized to the victim, the club and Spartak fans.

Russian tabloid Moskovsky Komsomolets reported the person Guliyev struck was an American and that he had later paid the man’s medical expenses for a broken nose.