Anfield Road

ITALY’S Giorgio Chiellini, the player on the receiving end of Luis Suarez’s latest on-pitch indiscretion, says the Uruguayan’s punishment from FIFA was too harsh.

FIFA acted after video footage showed Suarez apparently sinking his teeth into Chiellini’s shoulder, fining him two-and-a-half days’ wages, banning him for nine international games and adding a complete ban from football for four months. That four month ban not only means he misses 13 Liverpool games, it also means he can’t even set foot inside a football stadium until the end of October.

Chiellini is more upset about Italy’s early elimination from FIFA’s World Cup in Brazil, the Azzurri following their victory over Roy Hodgson’s England with defeats to Costa Rica and Uruguay.

Speaking to Sportlobster.com, the Juve centre-back said: “Now inside me there are no feelings of joy, revenge or anger against Suarez for an incident which happened on the pitch and is done.

“There only remains the anger and the disappointment about the match. At the moment, my only thought is for Luis and his family, because they will face a very difficult period.

“I have always unequivocally considered the disciplinary interventions by the competent bodies, but at the same time I believe the proposed formula is excessive.

“I sincerely hope he will be allowed to stay close to his teammates during the games, because such a ban is really alienating for a player.”

Uruguay are set to appeal the punishment, whilst his club Liverpool are reportedly considering legal action.

The ban would not prevent Suarez from leaving to join another club and with strong rumours of interest from Spanish giants Barcelona and Real Madrid he may well ultimately be serving the ban away from Anfield. Suarez is understood to have a buy-out clause in his latest contract that would allow him to join an overseas club for around €80m.

See also:

Jim Boardman on the incident and the punishment,  for Mirror Football.