Arsenal striker Olivier Giroud has apologised following allegations that he enjoyed a hotel room romp with a model - hours before a match.
The married French international was accused last week of enjoying a late night with model Celia Kay, before the Gunners home match with Crystal Palace on February 2.
Following the revelations, Giroud is said to have pleaded with Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger that the story wasn't true in a bid to avoid a whopping £200,000 fine.
However, photos of Giroud wearing only underwear in his hotel room - supposedly taken by the model - have today emerged, with her quoted as saying that the former Montpellier man lied.
"Olivier knows the truth and the fact that he lied about us is pathetic," she is quoted as telling the Sun on Sunday.
And Giroud, 27, has now tweeted his apologies.
"I apologise to my wife, family and friends and my manager, team-mates and Arsenal fans," tweeted the France international.
"I now have to fight for my family and for my club and obtain their forgiveness. Nothing else matters at the moment."
and obtain their forgiveness. Nothing else matters at the moment."
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Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger confirmed that disciplinary action would be taken against Olivier Giroud after he apologised for taking a female companion back to the team hotel.
Married Giroud had consistently denied taking Celia Kay to the Four Seasons Hotel in Canary Wharf the night before the 2-0 victory over Crystal Palace on February 2. The striker had earlier issued a grovelling apology to his wife Jennifer and the Arsenal boss after a picture by the pin-up appeared in a national newspaper.
Wenger said: ‘It is an internal matter but I do not want to comment publicly because I respect his privacy.’
VIDEO Scroll down to watch Olivier Giroud freestlye
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Grovelling: Arsenal striker Olivier Giroud has taken to twitter to apologise to his wife after he was pictured in a hotel room with a model
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Cameo: The French striker came on as a substitute in the dying moments of the win against Liverpool
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Late night: Celia Kay pictured Giroud in just his pants, hours before Arsenal were due to meet Crystal Palace
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Marriage: Giroud posted this picture of him and his wife Jennifer on Christmas Eve
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A picture taken by the model of Giroud in his hotel room in just underwear was printed in the Sun on Sunday.
Giroud took to social networking site Twitter to apologise to Jennifer - who gave birth to son Paul last June - and his club.
‘I apologise to my wife, family and friends and my manager, team-mates and Arsenal fans,’ he said.
‘I now have to fight for my family and for my club and obtain their forgiveness. Nothing else matters at the moment.’
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Rules: Giroud narrowly avoided a huge fine after he insisted to Arsene Wenger that nothing had happened
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Model: Kay models for international magazines such as FHM and Maxim
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Warm up: The meeting took place just hours before Arsenal's 2-0 win over Crystal Palace
Kay, who models for international magazines such as Maxim and FHM, was pictured arriving at the Four Seasons hotel in Canary Wharf at 12.50am and leaving at 3.04am that night.
She insists she did not have sex with the 6ft 4in striker, who avoided a club fine when claims were made by Kay last week, insisting to Wenger that no meeting had taken place.
‘Olivier knows the truth and the fact that he lied about us is pathetic,’ Kay told the Sun on Sunday.
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Pictured: The model was pictured arriving and leaving the Arsenal team hotel just hours before their match against Crystal Palace
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Revelations: Kay revealed her meeting with Giroud last week but the striker denied any wrongdoing and avoided a fine
‘He’s just digging a bigger hole for himself. If he is big enough to do the crime, he’s got to serve the time.’
The Gunners planned to fine the star up to £230,000 but backed off after his denial. His lawyers also sent a series of letters to the newspaper denying any wrongdoing.
Giroud came on as a second half substitute for Arsenal yesterday and will face Roberto Martinez’s side on the weekend of March 8.
