Rossi was dismissed after hitting the 20-year-old Serbian midfielder after hauling him off during a 2-2 Serie A draw with Novara.
Ljajic said. “I didn’t insult the coach.
“If the TV images show that I did then I’ll quit the game. Rossi looked to strike me on more than one occasion while saying ‘you’re a jerk, I’ll kill you’.
“That’s when I responded to him in Serbian and I wasn’t complimentary.”
Rossi has apologised to the club, the fans and the player.
He said: “I can’t forgive him. He tried to strike me while I couldn’t defend myself. I have a little cousin in Serbia who is 10 and he watches all of my games. He was left shocked.
“I came off the pitch and I applauded the Coach, I gave him the thumbs up and in Italian I said ‘you’re a great, you’re really very good!’
“I made a mistake, but I didn’t expect a reaction like that. I want people to examine the pictures so they can read my lips.
“People have started saying that I insulted his dead mother, that I spoke about a handicapped son and none of that is true.
“Fortunately he didn’t hit me fully. I didn’t react and I’m proud of that. It shows that my parents brought me up well.”
Ljajic has been suspended for his part in the incident.
“I want to stay and I hope I can. I’ve bought a house. I don’t fear the jeers and I’m not a kid who just thinks about money and cars. As a boy I lived in a place where bombs exploded, I can’t be scared of whistles.”
