Ashley Williams has apologised after a video showed the Wales captain mocking Cardiff City fans.
An online video appeared to show the former Swansea skipper calling Cardiff fans "mugs" for doing the 'Ayatollah' gesture popular among Bluebirds fans.
It provoked an angry response from some on social media but Williams, 34, says the comment was in jest.
"I think it's obviously disappointing but it was not meant how it came out at all," said the Stoke player.
"There was a bit of banter with me and Sean Connelly [Wales' former Cardiff physio] and it was picked up but I didn't mean to cause offence at all.
"We have that banter all the time in the squad and it was just picked up this time.
"So apologies if it caused offence to anyone."
The brief video shows Williams walking through a corridor at Cardiff City Stadium, where Wales play their home matches.
The 34-year-old is standing next to Wales team-mate and former Swansea colleague Joe Allen as he makes the comment.
"What you can't see [in the video] is Sean's just in front and he's in the picture on the side [of the corridor], so whenever we walk past it we have a bit of banter," Williams added.
"So he [Connelly] said something before and I said that but it looks like it's me and Joe, which makes it worse.
"I have nothing against Cardiff fans. I think we have a good relationship, especially with Wales. We love the Welsh fans and what they do for us."
Williams will earn his 84th cap for Wales when he leads them in Tuesday's friendly against Albania.
It will be a historic occasion for his fellow defender Chris Gunter, who at the age of 29 will become Wales' record male cap holder as he makes his 93rd appearance, surpassing Neville Southall's mark of 92.
Reading player Gunter started his career at Cardiff and defended Williams' comments about the Ayatollah, insisting that jokes about club rivalries are a daily occurrence among Wales players.
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