OHHH SUAREZZ Football hits a new low as Liverpool star bites opponent: £120,000-a-week player
Luis Suarez's future in English football is in doubt today after the Uruguayan bit an opponent as millions watched on television around the world.
The controversial Liverpool striker, 26, was forced to apologise for his 'inexcusable behaviour' after he sank his teeth into the arm of Chelsea defender Branislav Ivanovic during their 2-2 draw yesterday.
Merseyside Police told MailOnline today that Mr Ivanovic was spoken to by officers after the match, but he decided not to make a complaint.
It is not the first time Suarez has been in trouble for biting, having earned the nickname 'The Cannibal of Ajax' and a seven-match ban in 2010 for drawing blood from the shoulder of PSV Eindhoven's Otman Bakkal while playing in Holland.
A year later he moved to Liverpool and the striker was fined £40,000 and banned for eight matches for racially abusing Manchester United star Patrice Evra.
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Bite: Millions of fans around the world watched on TV as controversial Liverpool striker Luis Suarez, 26, sank his teeth into the arm of Chelsea defender Branislav Ivanovic during the clubs' 2-2 draw
Preparing to lunge: Suarez grabs Ivanovic's arm before appearing to bite it during yesterday's match
Apology: Liverpool striker Suarez said on his official Twitter account that he was 'so sorry' for what happened
Previous: The Liverpool striker was branded the 'Cannibal of Ajax' after he bit the neck of PSV Eindhoven midfielder Otman Bakkal, drawing blood in 2010
Having avoided punishment during yesterday's game, the FA is now likely to action against him again, with experts calling for him to be banned for at least the final four games of the Premier League season.
And his club is under huge pressure to kick the player out, with its managing director Ian Ayre admitting: 'His behaviour is not befitting of any player wearing a Liverpool shirt.'
After the match Suarez tweeted: '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!!
'I've just spoken to Ivanovic on the phone and I could apologise directly to him. Thanks for accepting.'
But it may not be enough as manager Brendan Rodgers admitted that no player was irreplaceable.
Suarez, who last week was among six players nominated by their fellow professionals for the PFA Footballer of the Year award, has been one of Liverpool’s top stars since he joined the club from Ajax for £22.8million two years ago.
Last summer the striker, who is married to childhood sweetheart Sofia Balbi and has a two-year-old daughter Delfina, signed a new contract doubling his basic pay to £100,000 a week. This season he has scored 22 goals in 32 games.
Couple: Suarez is is married to childhood sweetheart Sofia Balbi and is understood to earn £100,000 a week at Liverpool
Family: The couple, who married in 2009, also have a two-year-old daughter called Delfina
VIDEO: LUIS SUAREZ APPEARS TO BITE CHELSEA'S BRANISLAV IVANOVIC
While not as bad as the infamous incident in 1997 when heavyweight boxing champion Mike Tyson was disqualified for biting chunks out of Evander Holyfield’s ear, Suarez could face a another long ban and his future in English football could be in doubt.
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During the incident, captured by TV cameras, Suarez – who earlier had given away a penalty – appeared to grab hold of the defender’s arm and bite his elbow.
He escaped unpunished as the referee failed to see the disgraceful act, and went on to score an equaliser.
Last night he apologised to Ivanovic and the ‘football world’ for ‘my inexcusable behaviour’ via Twitter, saying he was ‘sad’ at the incident.
Confrontation: The Chelsea star made no secret of his unhappiness over the incident with the Liverpool man
Crazy: The Chelsea defender appeared to have done very little to provoke Suarez before the incident yesterday
Look, ref: Ivanovic shows his arm to referee Kevin Friend following the biting incident at Anfield yesterday
It will take some time for the FA to decide if Suarez will be banned as referee Kevin Friend must first submit his report.
'People will be talking about this for a long time. I’ve never seen anything like that in a football match before'
Graeme Souness, former Liverpool boss
Souness, an ex-Liverpool player and manager, said: ‘He is making it very difficult to stay at Liverpool. The directors must safeguard the good name of the club. It shows Liverpool in a bad light in this week of all weeks, the anniversary of Hillsborough.
'People will be talking about this for a long time. I’ve never seen anything like that in a football match before.
‘That’s what children do in the pram, they bite things if they are not happy with it. He must be on the borderline of doing something crazy every time he goes out there if he is capable of that.’
Present and past: Brendan Rodgers and Rafa Benitez shared the same Anfield touchline during the game
Out of nowhere: The incident happened after Suarez had already handballed just 10 minutes earlier
Pain: Ivanovic could not believe what had happened as he sat on the ground for a moment after the bite
97th minute: Suarez's equaliser couldn't have come much later in the game to get Liverpool a 2-2 draw
Key: Chelsea will be aggrieved that Suarez was still on the pitch when he scored late on in yesterday's game
Fist raised: Liverpool striker Suarez celebrates scoring their late goal during the Premier League match
Former club captain and Daily Mail columnist Jamie Redknapp said what Suarez did was inexcusable.
‘He got a seven-game ban at Ajax for doing the same thing. He obviously has a real problem,’ said Redknapp.
DINNER TIME: 'PLAYERS ON THE SUAREZ MENU' WAS TRENDING ON TWITTER LAST NIGHT - AND HERE ARE SOME OF YOUR BEST ATTEMPTS...
- Ashley Coleslaw - Ashley Cole
- Bacary Lasagne - Bacary Sagna
- Andy Casaroll - Andy Carroll
- Peter Odem-chicken-wingies - Peter Odemwingie
- Sirloin Ebanks-Steak - Sylvan Ebanks-Blake
- John Cherry - John Terry
- Sergio Biscuits - Sergio Busquets
- Fer-Nandos Torres - Fernando Torres
- Patrik Burger - Patrik Berger
- Shaun Wright Fillets - Shaun Wright-Phillips
- Philipp Lamb - Philipp Lahm
- Thomas Itsaburger - Thomas Hitzlsperger
- Paulo One-chop - Paulo Wanchope
- Benteke Fried Chicken - Christian Benteke
- Ryan Babel & Squeak - Ryan Babel
- Phil Kebab - Phil Babb
- Ryan Figgs - Ryan Giggs
- Branislav Ivanosandwich - Branislav Ivanovic
Concern: Suarez didn't look particularly happy on his departure from Anfield, accompanied by a steward
Souvenir? But he did have a Chelsea shirt to mark the day, after helping his side to a dramatic 2-2 draw
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