"They wanted my daughter to get cancer"

"Upon reflectting for some time about what happened last Sunday, I would like to give an explanation and not a quick response," Xhaka started saying in his public apology letter.

A reflection that also included the terrible threats directed towards him and his family after the incident. "The feeling of not being understood by the fans, and the constant abusive comments in the games and on social media for the last few weeks and months upset me a lot," he revealed.

"People said things like 'we are going to break your legs', 'we are going to kill your wife' or 'I hope that your daughter has cancer'. There came a time when I felt rejected by the whole stadium on Sunday," Xhaka added.

The Swiss footballer wanted to talk about the pressure that footballers are put under, on and off the pitch, and although they try to keep away from the barbarities that people say, it is not always possible.