Monthly Archives: June 2014

Disgraced Suarez finally admits to biting Chiellini

Having previously denied any wrongdoing, the Uruguayan has come forward to apologise to the Italian defender


Disgraced Uruguay striker Luis Suarez has finally admitted to biting Italy defender Giorgio Chiellini at the World Cup.

The Liverpool forward has been barred from all football-related activity for four months, banned for nine competitive international matches and hit with an €80,000 fine.

Suarez had previously denied biting the defender, instead insisting his face “hit against the player, leaving a small bruise … and a strong pain in my teeth” but has now come clean.
 

My apologies to Chiellini: pic.twitter.com/CvfkkjxzlM

— Luis Suarez (@luis16suarez) June 30, 2014

The fallout from the incident has been vast and wide-reaching, with the president of the Uruguay Football Association, Jose Murjica, calling the ban “fascist” and Uruguay team-mate Diego Lugano branding it an “act of barbarity”.

Suarez was previously banned for seven matches in 2010 for biting PSV’s Otman Bakkal, during his time at Ajax before being suspended for a further 10 games after biting Branislav Ivanovic while playing for Liverpool.

The Uruguayan FA have informed Fifa that they will appeal against the ban, though it remains to be seen if Suarez’s apology will change their stance.

Chiellini himself has called the punishment on Suarez “excessive” and took to Twitter shortly after the Uruguayan’s apology to make it clear he holds no grudges over the incident.

.@luis16suarez It’s all forgotten. I hope FIFA will reduce your suspension.

— Giorgio Chiellini (@chiellini) June 30, 2014

Manchester City rival Arsenal, Liverpool and Manchester United in race for Sanchez

The Barcelona forward looks set to be involved in one of the biggest transfer sagas of the summer, with the Sky Blues becoming the latest club to register interest in the star


EXCLUSIVE
By Paul Clennam

Manchester City have asked Barcelona to keep them abreast of developments on the situation of forward Alexis Sanchez, as the Premier League’s elite clubs consider bids for the Chile international, Goal understands.

Arsenal, as exclusively revealed by Goal on Saturday, head the list of interested parties, with Liverpool and Manchester United also monitoring Sanchez’s future. But City are considering a big-money move themselves, despite facing a €61 million [£49m] spending cap this summer as a result of the fine handed to them by Uefa following their Financial Fair Play transgressions last year.

That has prompted a rethink in City’s transfer strategy, with the club now considering a cut-price move for a defender to free up cash to spend on Sanchez, after having already signed Porto midfielder Fernando for €15m [£12m].

Porto centre-back Eliaquim Mangala is still very much in the Premier League champions’ thoughts, while they have also weighed up a €31m [£25m] move for Roma’s Mehdi Benatia.

But manager Mauricio Pellegrini believes a move for Davide Astori, the 27-year-old Cagliari and Italy centre-back, for around €7.5m [£6m] could supplement the free transfer of Bacary Sagna and make more financial sense allied with a move for Sanchez.

And with Pellegrini currently in Brazil working for television station TV Chile and based close to the national team’s hotel, he could be ready to use his privileged access if given the green light by Barca.

The future of Yaya Toure could also play a part in any bid for Sanchez, with the Ivorian’s future up in the air at Eastlands.

Yaya has claimed City did not allow him time away from a club trip to Abu Dhabi following the end of the season to be by the side of his brother Ibrahim, who died of cancer earlier in June.

Toure’s advisor Dimitri Seluk also suggested the midfielder was unhappy with the club’s failure to acknowledge his birthday, and talks between the club and player have been scheduled after the 31-year-old’s three-week break following his involvement in the World Cup with the Ivory Coast.

And should Barcelona consider a swap involving Suarez and Yaya Toure, the wheels of a move could be greased more swiftly.

Arsenal, Liverpool and Manchester United could all provide serious competition for the 25-year-old’s signature, though, with all three ready to meet the asking price of around €40m [£32m].

With a quartet of big Premier League sides interested, and Juventus also in the hunt, Sanchez could be involved in the key transfer saga of the summer.

Kosovo club makes bold Suarez offer

With the Balkan nation not officially associated with Fifa, a first division team has made a shock offer to secure the services of the forward for the duration of his suspension


Uruguay’s Luis Suarez has been offered an unlikely safe haven from his Fifa ban by Kosovo Superleague outfit Hajvalia.

The forward has been suspended from all football activity for four months and banned for nine competitive international games for biting Giorgio Chiellini, meaning that he cannot appear for club or country until November at the earliest.

However with Kosovo not an official member of Fifa, club president Xhavit Pacolli is prepared to make an ambitious offer for Suarez, hoping that such a loophole will tempt the Liverpool man to serve his ban as a Hajvalia player.

“Suarez can’t play in the next four months,” he told Sport Plus.

“As we are not part of Fifa yet, I think he can play in Kosovo, so we have an offer that we will send to Liverpool.

Pacolli has readied a bid of €30,000 in addition to a monthly salary of €1,500 to tempt Suarez to play in the Balkan nation temporarily.

“This is the maximum that we can offer,” he added.

“This might sound ridiculous to him, but that is all we can do.

“If he is willing to come and play for us, he is welcome. As we are not part of Fifa, it would be ideal for him.”