Former Liverpool striker Luis Suarez says he still feels aggrieved over being found guilty of racism in the infamous incident with Manchester United's Patrice Evra in 2011.
Suarez, 27, was then found guilty of having racially abused Evra during a Premier League game, and was banned for eight matches by the FA, in a decision not accepted at the time by either the player or his then club.
The Uruguay striker, who joined Barcelona from Liverpool last summer for around 80 million euros, has yet to make his Blaugrana debut as he is currently serving a ban imposed for biting Italy's Giorgio Chiellini at last summer's World Cup.
As part of an orchestrated media campaign ahead of his likely Barca debut in the La Liga clasico at Real Madrid on Oct. 25, Suarez was interviewed by his new club's website.
When it was pointed out in the Q&A that "your temper has caused you several problems over the years" and asked if he regretted anything, the Evra issue was again brought up.
"When I say I'm sorry it's because I regret something," Suarez said. "Being sorry implies regret. But they have also sometimes judged me on things that aren't true, such as the racism thing.
"I was accused without evidence and that's what grieved me the most. The others were actions when it was me who did wrong. I accepted that and begged forgiveness, but the racism thing, when I was accused without evidence, that did upset me."
Suarez was keen to say that the Chiellini bite, as well as other similar incidents involving opponents when playing for Ajax and Liverpool in the past, were mistakes which he had accepted were wrong.
"It is good to accept that you have made a mistake and that's what I did," he said. "I left it a few days [last summer] because you have to remember that I'm only human and sometimes it's hard to face the truth. I found it hard to take in and to realise what I had done.
"Those were days when I didn't want to know about it. I just wanted to be with my wife and children, who supported me through that time. I didn't want to listen to anybody, or speak to anybody. I didn't want to accept it."
Suarez said he had been able to leave Anfield happy as he had won the European Golden Boot last season (an award shared with Real Madrid's Cristiano Ronaldo), and been the leader who returned Liverpool to the Champions League.
"Personal success is always welcome and makes you happy, because that's recognition of the good work you have done," he said.
"But I put the team ahead of that and last season Liverpool came so close to winning the Premier League, which would have been spectacular. I appreciate all the work the team did. But I missed six matches and scored all those goals in the Premier League without being the penalty-taker.
"I really could leave happy because if I hadn't had the attitude and mentality to lead the team, I don't think Liverpool would have done as well as they did. Getting back into the Champions League was another target I had in mind."
While having just played a few friendly games for club and country during his ban, Suarez said he was now anxious to get back to competitive action.
"All I can say is that I have arrived with the desire to be a success at Barca, that I am hungry to win titles," he said. "I haven't played in European competitions for a few years and I want to do the best I can in every game.
"Nothing in my life was given to me, and now I have the chance to play for team that I have always wanted to play for, and it's a chance I intend to make the most of. I want to show the fans that I want to be a success at Barca and to help my teammates as much as I can."
Suarez further admitted that it had been difficult being on the sidelines watching his teammates compete.
"When I have gone to the last few games that the team has played I've noticed how I'm getting more anxious to play and help them out," he said.
"I hate feeling so impotent because I can't do anything to help them. The first two months were the hardest because I didn't feel like a footballer. That was the worst part.
"It is always good to accept your mistakes but what angered me most was not feeling like a professional, not feeling like another worker, like other footballers do. That's what hurt me the most."