Liverpool striker Luis Suarez was handed a 10-game ban on this day in 2013 after biting Chelsea defender Branislav Ivanovic.
The Uruguay international, who had previously been suspended for seven games for a similar attack on PSV Eindhoven’s Otman Bakkal during his time at Ajax, found himself under the spotlight once again during the Reds’ 2-2 Premier League draw with Chelsea at Anfield on April 21.
Suarez clashed with defender Ivanovic inside the penalty area midway through the second half before biting the Serbia international’s upper arm. Referee Kevin Friend did not see the incident and despite the Chelsea defender’s
protests no action was taken, with Suarez going on to score a stoppage-time equaliser.
The 26-year-old frontman later apologised in a post on his Twitter account which said: “I’m sad for what happened this afternoon, I apologize Ivanovic and all football world for my inexcusable behaviour. I’m so sorry about it!!”
His apology and admission of a violent conduct charge, however, cut little ice with the authorities and two days later an independent regulatory commission, much to his club’s dismay, upheld a Football Association claim that a statutory three-game ban was not sufficient punishment for the offence and he was suspended for 10 matches.
Then manager Brendan Rodgers said at the time: “We had been given clear indications by the FA that there was going to be an independent – or so-called independent – case put together and then we would receive what that sanction would be.
“If you are an independent panel and yet the day beforehand the FA come out and say (Suarez) will serve more than three games, it is not independent because they are already putting pressure on the sanction.
“There is a prejudice there straight away.”
I'm sad for what happened this afternoon, I apologize Ivanovic and all football world for my inexcusable behaviour. I'm so sorry about it!!
— Luis Suárez (@LuisSuarez9) April 21, 2013
Liverpool insisted the player, who had been given an eight-game ban and fined £40,000 for racially abusing Manchester United defender Patrice Evra in December 2011, would not be sold amid an outcry over his behaviour.
Suarez did not play for the club again until September 25, returning in a 1-0 Capital One Cup defeat at Manchester United, and left in a £75million move to Barcelona the following summer.
However, his debut for the Catalan giants was delayed significantly after he was suspended from all football-related activity for four months, banned for nine international matches and fined almost £66,000 for another biting incident – this time sinking his teeth into Italy defender Giorgio Chiellini at the 2014 World Cup finals.