Romanian striker Adrian Mutu apologised to Chelsea fans after being sacked by the English Premier League club for taking cocaine.

The 25-year-old, dismissed by Chelsea last week, was banned from the game for seven months by the English Football Association (FA) on Thursday.

"I've made a mistake and I am sorry," Mutu told the BBC on Saturday. "Who doesn't make mistakes in this life? I'm really sorry.

"I know I have disappointed them. I wish them all the best, and I wish to see Chelsea at a good level.

"I'm very sorry for what I have done."

Mutu's ban, which began on October 25, will run until May 18 2005. He was also fined 20,000 pounds ($36,880) by the FA and will be subject to target testing throughout the period of suspension.

He cost Chelsea nearly 16 million pounds ($29.50 million) when he joined from Parma in August 2003.