UEFA is investigating Austria’s Marko Arnautovic after the North Macedonian football federation accused the striker of a nationalist outburst following his appearence at the European Championship.

The federation said the outburst was directed at Ezgjan Alioski, who is of Albanian origin. Arnautovic’s father is Serbian and his mother is Austrian.

“We are always against nationalism, discrimination and all other forms of insults and outbursts that are not in the spirit of football and the values that we all stand for together,” the federation said in a statement released late on Monday. “We will always stand up and defend the interests and dignity of the Macedonian national team wherever they play.”

Arnautovic scored the final goal in Austria’s 3-1 victory over North Macedonia on Sunday at the National Arena in Bucharest.

He was then restrained by skipper David Alaba as he gestured angrily.

He wrote in an Instagram story that he was sorry for what happened and acknowledged “some heated words yesterday in the emotions of the game for which I would like to apologise — especially to my friends from North Macedonia and Albania.”

“I would like to say one thing very clearly: I am not a racist. I have friends in almost every country and I stand for diversity. Everyone who knows me is aware of that.”

Alioski has since spoken to media and said that he and Arnautovic have cleared the air.

“In such matches it is normal for players to experience tension and get out of control, but the best part is when everything is finally clarified and you agree. Arnautovic and I talked after the match and clarified, as he apologised to me and came to our room and shook my hand, being very fair.

“I did not hear what he said, as the fans were celebrating, but we spoke [in] German after the match and agreed after the match. It’s something that happens after the match to capture the emotions in the match, but it is best when everything is clarified.”