Luis Suarez‘s statement to FIFA defending himself against the claims that he bit Italy’s Giorgio Chiellini on Tuesday has been published.
Suarez has since been handed a four month ban from football and nine match international suspension, meaning he won’t play for Liverpool until almost November.
But the 27-year-old claimed that he did not intentionally bite Chiellini and that it was in fact the result of a stumble.
Suarez says, “after the impact … I lost my balance, making my body unstable and falling on top of my opponent. At that moment I hit my face against the player leaving a small bruise on my cheek and a strong pain in my teeth.”
He also claims in response to FIFA’s verdict on Thursday, “in no way [did] it happen how you have described, as a bite or intent to bite.”
FIFA may well have seen Suarez’s denial of the incident as a lack of remorse, further extending his punishment when it was handed out.
The fresh controversy has thrown up questions over Suarez’s future at Liverpool, with Barcelona said to still be interested in signing him this summer, despite the lengthly ban.
But former Liverpool striker, manager and now non-executive director Kenny Dalglish believes it’s the club’s responsibility to stand by Suarez and offer him support.
In his column in the Daily Mirror , Dalglish wrote, “It is my belief that when you bring a player to a football club, he becomes your responsibility.
“I know that lots of people are jumping up and down and saying that Liverpool should disown Luis Suarez.
“Others are saying that the striker has become more trouble than he is worth, too.
“But you don’t just turn your back on someone because he has done something wrong.”
Uruguay have appealed against FIFA’s ban of Suarez, with coach Oscar Tabarez stepping down from two FIFA posts in protest.
Suarez tweeted on Saturday ahead of Uruguay’s World Cup second round game against Colombia, roughly translated from Spanish as:
Hi all, I write this post to give thanks to the outpouring of support and love I am receiving. Both myself and my family really appreciate it. Thank you very much for being by my side and I want all my colleagues today we support selection for the match against Colombia.
What do you make of Suarez’s statement defending himself? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.
Luis Suarez‘s statement to FIFA defending himself against the claims that he bit Italy’s Giorgio Chiellini on Tuesday has been published.
Suarez has since been handed a four month ban from football and nine match international suspension, meaning he won’t play for Liverpool until almost November.
But the 27-year-old claimed that he did not intentionally bite Chiellini and that it was in fact the result of a stumble.
Suarez says, “after the impact … I lost my balance, making my body unstable and falling on top of my opponent. At that moment I hit my face against the player leaving a small bruise on my cheek and a strong pain in my teeth.”
He also claims in response to FIFA’s verdict on Thursday, “in no way [did] it happen how you have described, as a bite or intent to bite.”
FIFA may well have seen Suarez’s denial of the incident as a lack of remorse, further extending his punishment when it was handed out.
The fresh controversy has thrown up questions over Suarez’s future at Liverpool, with Barcelona said to still be interested in signing him this summer, despite the lengthly ban.
But former Liverpool striker, manager and now non-executive director Kenny Dalglish believes it’s the club’s responsibility to stand by Suarez and offer him support.
In his column in the Daily Mirror , Dalglish wrote, “It is my belief that when you bring a player to a football club, he becomes your responsibility.
“I know that lots of people are jumping up and down and saying that Liverpool should disown Luis Suarez.
“Others are saying that the striker has become more trouble than he is worth, too.
“But you don’t just turn your back on someone because he has done something wrong.”
Uruguay have appealed against FIFA’s ban of Suarez, with coach Oscar Tabarez stepping down from two FIFA posts in protest.
Suarez tweeted on Saturday ahead of Uruguay’s World Cup second round game against Colombia, roughly translated from Spanish as:
Hi all, I write this post to give thanks to the outpouring of support and love I am receiving. Both myself and my family really appreciate it. Thank you very much for being by my side and I want all my colleagues today we support selection for the match against Colombia.
What do you make of Suarez’s statement defending himself? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.
Liverpool are close to completing the signing of Lille forward Divock Origi, the 19-year-old who has impressed for Belgium at the World Cup.
Origi has featured in all three of Belgium’s group games as a sub, scoring the winning goal against Russia in their second game.
News of Liverpool’s interest in Origi broke earlier in the week and The Mirror now claim Liverpool are in talks with the player’s representatives to finalise personal terms.
They explain that “The Anfield transfer committee has sanctioned a structured £9.8million deal for the striker, with a loan-back agreement ensuring he remains at Lille next season where he can still play Champions League football.”
The reported fee is £9.8 million.
Earlier this week we brought you a scout report on Origi, explaining that, while naturally a central striker, importantly for Liverpool, he can operate anywhere across the front line with his flexibility making him a good fit for Brendan Rodgers’ fluid side.
Quick, powerful, 6ft 1inch tall, a direct runner who takes players on, a composed finisher, Origi looks like representing quite a coup for Liverpool.
Earlier this week, The Mirror likened Origi to a young Samuel Eto’o, saying that “It is always a risk to pay around £10 million for a 19-year-old player, but with Origi it feels more like an investment than a payment.”
For a full round-up of Saturday’s transfer reports, click here.
Liverpool are close to completing the signing of Lille forward Divock Origi, the 19-year-old who has impressed for Belgium at the World Cup.
Origi has featured in all three of Belgium’s group games as a sub, scoring the winning goal against Russia in their second game.
News of Liverpool’s interest in Origi broke earlier in the week and The Mirror now claim Liverpool are in talks with the player’s representatives to finalise personal terms.
They explain that “The Anfield transfer committee has sanctioned a structured £9.8million deal for the striker, with a loan-back agreement ensuring he remains at Lille next season where he can still play Champions League football.”
The reported fee is £9.8 million.
Earlier this week we brought you a scout report on Origi, explaining that, while naturally a central striker, importantly for Liverpool, he can operate anywhere across the front line with his flexibility making him a good fit for Brendan Rodgers’ fluid side.
Quick, powerful, 6ft 1inch tall, a direct runner who takes players on, a composed finisher, Origi looks like representing quite a coup for Liverpool.
Earlier this week, The Mirror likened Origi to a young Samuel Eto’o, saying that “It is always a risk to pay around £10 million for a 19-year-old player, but with Origi it feels more like an investment than a payment.”
For a full round-up of Saturday’s transfer reports, click here.
Adam Griffies explains why Roy Hodgson is the man to blame for England’s sorry performance in the World Cup and his failure to use Reds pair Steven Gerrard and Jordan Henderson properly was key.
10 days after England’s World Cup began, bubbling with genuine hope and positivity, they arrived back at Manchester airport. Without a win. Bottom of the group.
The inquest into what went wrong begun after the Uruguay defeat but unfortunately, specifically within the mainstream media, most fingers will be pointing in every direction but the right one.
Players, players, players. England haven’t got the players.
England, with 22 of their 23-man squad playing regularly in the strongest league in world football, haven’t got the players. England, with their starting team against Italy worth roughly £200 million (minimum), haven’t got the players. Yet Mexico, Chile, Algeria, Nigeria, Costra Rica and Greece all progressed to the second round.
But of course, they do have the players. ‘They have easier groups; we were in the group of death’, you say? Costa Rica. They negotiated England’s group pretty smoothly. They topped it in fact. Although that’s irrelevant, because they have all the players.
What most of those teams have, that England distinctly lacked (and have been without for some time now), is cohesion; a tactical edge which allows them to dominate football matches structurally, and acts as a platform for the abundance of attacking talent to express itself. As long as we continue to dawdle in football’s dark ages, the so-called lesser nations will carry on developing tactically, and subsequently surpass us.
But for the odd player, the minnows don’t, and probably never will, possess an overflowing pool of talent. So they find ways of overcoming that. Most of the time, they are perfect tactically, lessening their need to rely on individuality and raw talent. Talent they simply haven’t got.
So, onto the blame game.
Just to make you sit up and take notice, I won’t be starting with who you think. I’ll begin with the faceless fools who appointed him as England manager: the FA. The people who (somehow) hold the keys to the nation’s football future. Until they have the courage and conviction to place a proper, progressive coach at the helm of English football, the national team will do nothing but sink further.
The man currently in the driving seat, weighing us down, is of course Roy Hodgson. Roy Hodgson. Disheartening isn’t it. After he effortlessly brought sorrow to Anfield for a brief, but far-too-long, period a few years ago, I didn’t think my antipathy for the man and his footballing ‘ideas’ could grow any more severe. But it’s happening. The way he sets his teams up is archaic; it always has been. From Malmo and Inter Milan, through to Finland and Liverpool. His philosophy is everything I hate about the game.
Lovely man though. Important people on my television keep telling me.
Those who say England played well against Italy in the opening game are definitely wrong. As a team, England didn’t. A few talented individuals did. That’s different.
As a collective, England were outmanoeuvred, particularly in the middle of the pitch. Pirlo floated about and directed the game with ease, backed up heartily by Daniele De Rossi and Marco Verratti; Antonio Candreva and Claudio Marchisio drifted in cleverly from the sides, to completely overwhelm and outnumber England centrally. Roy sat motionless, watching the inevitable unfold.
Most complaints after the game were of a similar nature: England didn’t keep the ball well enough. ‘Expert’ pundits blamed a few different players for this. Not one mention of the manager though. Of course not. If we hadn’t have been so outnumbered in central midfield, would we have struggled so much to keep the ball? No. So whose fault is that? Who places the players in a system?
That brings me nicely onto Hodgson’s illogical use of Steven Gerrard and Jordan Henderson as a holding pair in midfield. The Liverpool duo were left ridiculously isolated, tasked with distinguishing an interchanging Italian mid-section. I’m confident this was key to England’s issues.
Henderson, at Anfield, has just completed the best season of his career, utilising his boundless energy in a box-to-box central midfield role. Gerrard has found a new lease of life in a red shirt, thanks to Brendan Rodgers’ tactical nous, stationed in front of the defence and behind two dynamic central players. This allows him to control matches from the rear of play with his vast passing range, whilst being shielded by two athletes in front.
Blessed with an ounce of sense, Hodgson would have mirrored Liverpool’s 4-3-3 to get the best out of both Gerrard and Henderson. Alternatively, a midfield diamond would have worked similarly.
But instead, he played them as a flat, inflexible pair, simultaneously handcuffing both players. Henderson wasn’t given the license to use his endless dynamism and affect play at both ends of the pitch. Gerrard, with Hodgson’s team unable to retain the football, wasn’t allowed to dictate play. The straight lines, so synonymous with England in recent years, were more prevalent than ever.
Cesare Prandelli, less than an hour after narrowly missing out on qualification, offered his resignation as Italy coach. The honourable thing to do. Hodgson insists on stealing a living. And what a living it is. According to reports, Hodgson is paid £3.5 million per year, making him the second highest earning manager at the World Cup. It takes the 66-year-old just under two weeks to rake in what Mexico Coach Miguel Herrera earns in a year. Scandalous. Nauseating.
Adam Griffies (@whatahitsonlfc on Twitter)
Adam Griffies explains why Roy Hodgson is the man to blame for England’s sorry performance in the World Cup and his failure to use Reds pair Steven Gerrard and Jordan Henderson properly was key.
10 days after England’s World Cup began, bubbling with genuine hope and positivity, they arrived back at Manchester airport. Without a win. Bottom of the group.
The inquest into what went wrong begun after the Uruguay defeat but unfortunately, specifically within the mainstream media, most fingers will be pointing in every direction but the right one.
Players, players, players. England haven’t got the players.
England, with 22 of their 23-man squad playing regularly in the strongest league in world football, haven’t got the players. England, with their starting team against Italy worth roughly £200 million (minimum), haven’t got the players. Yet Mexico, Chile, Algeria, Nigeria, Costra Rica and Greece all progressed to the second round.
But of course, they do have the players. ‘They have easier groups; we were in the group of death’, you say? Costa Rica. They negotiated England’s group pretty smoothly. They topped it in fact. Although that’s irrelevant, because they have all the players.
What most of those teams have, that England distinctly lacked (and have been without for some time now), is cohesion; a tactical edge which allows them to dominate football matches structurally, and acts as a platform for the abundance of attacking talent to express itself. As long as we continue to dawdle in football’s dark ages, the so-called lesser nations will carry on developing tactically, and subsequently surpass us.
But for the odd player, the minnows don’t, and probably never will, possess an overflowing pool of talent. So they find ways of overcoming that. Most of the time, they are perfect tactically, lessening their need to rely on individuality and raw talent. Talent they simply haven’t got.
So, onto the blame game.
Just to make you sit up and take notice, I won’t be starting with who you think. I’ll begin with the faceless fools who appointed him as England manager: the FA. The people who (somehow) hold the keys to the nation’s football future. Until they have the courage and conviction to place a proper, progressive coach at the helm of English football, the national team will do nothing but sink further.
The man currently in the driving seat, weighing us down, is of course Roy Hodgson. Roy Hodgson. Disheartening isn’t it. After he effortlessly brought sorrow to Anfield for a brief, but far-too-long, period a few years ago, I didn’t think my antipathy for the man and his footballing ‘ideas’ could grow any more severe. But it’s happening. The way he sets his teams up is archaic; it always has been. From Malmo and Inter Milan, through to Finland and Liverpool. His philosophy is everything I hate about the game.
Lovely man though. Important people on my television keep telling me.
Those who say England played well against Italy in the opening game are definitely wrong. As a team, England didn’t. A few talented individuals did. That’s different.
As a collective, England were outmanoeuvred, particularly in the middle of the pitch. Pirlo floated about and directed the game with ease, backed up heartily by Daniele De Rossi and Marco Verratti; Antonio Candreva and Claudio Marchisio drifted in cleverly from the sides, to completely overwhelm and outnumber England centrally. Roy sat motionless, watching the inevitable unfold.
Most complaints after the game were of a similar nature: England didn’t keep the ball well enough. ‘Expert’ pundits blamed a few different players for this. Not one mention of the manager though. Of course not. If we hadn’t have been so outnumbered in central midfield, would we have struggled so much to keep the ball? No. So whose fault is that? Who places the players in a system?
That brings me nicely onto Hodgson’s illogical use of Steven Gerrard and Jordan Henderson as a holding pair in midfield. The Liverpool duo were left ridiculously isolated, tasked with distinguishing an interchanging Italian mid-section. I’m confident this was key to England’s issues.
Henderson, at Anfield, has just completed the best season of his career, utilising his boundless energy in a box-to-box central midfield role. Gerrard has found a new lease of life in a red shirt, thanks to Brendan Rodgers’ tactical nous, stationed in front of the defence and behind two dynamic central players. This allows him to control matches from the rear of play with his vast passing range, whilst being shielded by two athletes in front.
Blessed with an ounce of sense, Hodgson would have mirrored Liverpool’s 4-3-3 to get the best out of both Gerrard and Henderson. Alternatively, a midfield diamond would have worked similarly.
But instead, he played them as a flat, inflexible pair, simultaneously handcuffing both players. Henderson wasn’t given the license to use his endless dynamism and affect play at both ends of the pitch. Gerrard, with Hodgson’s team unable to retain the football, wasn’t allowed to dictate play. The straight lines, so synonymous with England in recent years, were more prevalent than ever.
Cesare Prandelli, less than an hour after narrowly missing out on qualification, offered his resignation as Italy coach. The honourable thing to do. Hodgson insists on stealing a living. And what a living it is. According to reports, Hodgson is paid £3.5 million per year, making him the second highest earning manager at the World Cup. It takes the 66-year-old just under two weeks to rake in what Mexico Coach Miguel Herrera earns in a year. Scandalous. Nauseating.
Adam Griffies (@whatahitsonlfc on Twitter)
Kenny Dalglish is confident Liverpool will not “turn their back” on Luis Suarez following his ban for biting an opponent.
The striker was given a four-month suspension from all football activity, as well as a nine-match international ban, for biting Italian defender Giorgio Chiellini in a World Cup game last Tuesday.
It is the third time the 27-year-old has been punished for such an offence and it has led to calls for Liverpool to cut their losses on the player, who they will be without for the first nine Premier League and three Champions League games of next season.
However, former Reds player and manager Dalglish, who brought Suarez to Anfield from Ajax in January 2011 during his second spell in charge, believes the club will support the player, who he feels needs help to control his emotions.
The Scot said in his Daily Mirror column: "It is my belief that when you bring a player to a football club, he becomes your responsibility. You don't just turn you back on a player because he has done something wrong.
"I think you will find that Liverpool will not turn their back on Suarez, whatever the ban FIFA have decided he must serve. Of course it will be a heavy blow if the club has to do without him for the opening months of the season.
"You can't really ask any one person why what happened against Italy happened, because there is only person who knows and that is Luis - some people have - injuries you can't see.
"Sometimes, when people have something wrong with them, just because they don't have a plaster cast on their leg, people think they don't need help."
Dalglish also feels the punishment handed to Suarez, who scored 31 goals in 33 matches last season, is harsh on Liverpool.
"When he was punished by the FA for the biting incident with Branislav Ivanovic and banned from domestic games, he was still allowed to play for his national team," he added.
"It seems a bit strange, then, that when he is banned for something he did with his national team, his club has to suffer, too."
Kenny Dalglish is confident Liverpool will not “turn their back” on Luis Suarez following his ban for biting an opponent.
The striker was given a four-month suspension from all football activity, as well as a nine-match international ban, for biting Italian defender Giorgio Chiellini in a World Cup game last Tuesday.
It is the third time the 27-year-old has been punished for such an offence and it has led to calls for Liverpool to cut their losses on the player, who they will be without for the first nine Premier League and three Champions League games of next season.
However, former Reds player and manager Dalglish, who brought Suarez to Anfield from Ajax in January 2011 during his second spell in charge, believes the club will support the player, who he feels needs help to control his emotions.
The Scot said in his Daily Mirror column: "It is my belief that when you bring a player to a football club, he becomes your responsibility. You don't just turn you back on a player because he has done something wrong.
"I think you will find that Liverpool will not turn their back on Suarez, whatever the ban FIFA have decided he must serve. Of course it will be a heavy blow if the club has to do without him for the opening months of the season.
"You can't really ask any one person why what happened against Italy happened, because there is only person who knows and that is Luis - some people have - injuries you can't see.
"Sometimes, when people have something wrong with them, just because they don't have a plaster cast on their leg, people think they don't need help."
Dalglish also feels the punishment handed to Suarez, who scored 31 goals in 33 matches last season, is harsh on Liverpool.
"When he was punished by the FA for the biting incident with Branislav Ivanovic and banned from domestic games, he was still allowed to play for his national team," he added.
"It seems a bit strange, then, that when he is banned for something he did with his national team, his club has to suffer, too."
FIFA president Sepp Blatter has refused to comment on the severity of the sanctions handed to Luis Suarez for biting an opponent during Uruguay’s World Cup game with Italy.
The Liverpool forward was banned for nine international matches and suspended from all football activity for four months after he bit Italy defender Giorgio Chiellini during the World Cup Group D clash.
The punishment handed out to Suarez, which also included a £66,000 fine, was decided upon by a panel of judges independent from world football’s organising body.
And Blatter refused to be drawn on their decision, although he did say it was right that Suarez was punished for his behaviour.
“We are fighting for fair play on the field of play,” said Blatter. “Also off the field of play, but mainly on it.
“This is not fair what he has done, it is definitely not fair.
“The decision has been taken by a panel of seven judges and it is not up to me to make a comment on that.
“They have obviously taken into consideration the incidents with this player, who has already been suspended from football from similar activity.
“But I cannot say it is too much or whatever, this is an independent organisation from FIFA who have taken this decision.”
Suarez, 27, is expected to appeal his punishment, while Uruguay coach Oscar Tabarez has accused FIFA of making the player a "scapegoat" and resigned from his role within football's governing body in protest over the striker's punishment.
However, general secretary Jerome Valcke has defended the sanctions - and urged Suarez to seek treatment.
Speaking at FIFA's daily media briefing in Rio de Janeiro, Valcke said: "A message to Luis Suarez? I think he should find a way to stop doing it. I think he shoud go through treatment because it's definitely wrong.
"It's not the first time. If it's the first time, it's an incident. If it's more than one time it's not just an incident and that's why the sanction has to be exemplary."
FIFA president Sepp Blatter has refused to comment on the severity of the sanctions handed to Luis Suarez for biting an opponent during Uruguay’s World Cup game with Italy.
The Liverpool forward was banned for nine international matches and suspended from all football activity for four months after he bit Italy defender Giorgio Chiellini during the World Cup Group D clash.
The punishment handed out to Suarez, which also included a £66,000 fine, was decided upon by a panel of judges independent from world football’s organising body.
And Blatter refused to be drawn on their decision, although he did say it was right that Suarez was punished for his behaviour.
“We are fighting for fair play on the field of play,” said Blatter. “Also off the field of play, but mainly on it.
“This is not fair what he has done, it is definitely not fair.
“The decision has been taken by a panel of seven judges and it is not up to me to make a comment on that.
“They have obviously taken into consideration the incidents with this player, who has already been suspended from football from similar activity.
“But I cannot say it is too much or whatever, this is an independent organisation from FIFA who have taken this decision.”
Suarez, 27, is expected to appeal his punishment, while Uruguay coach Oscar Tabarez has accused FIFA of making the player a "scapegoat" and resigned from his role within football's governing body in protest over the striker's punishment.
However, general secretary Jerome Valcke has defended the sanctions - and urged Suarez to seek treatment.
Speaking at FIFA's daily media briefing in Rio de Janeiro, Valcke said: "A message to Luis Suarez? I think he should find a way to stop doing it. I think he shoud go through treatment because it's definitely wrong.
"It's not the first time. If it's the first time, it's an incident. If it's more than one time it's not just an incident and that's why the sanction has to be exemplary."
FIFA president Sepp Blatter has refused to comment on the severity of the sanctions handed to Luis Suarez for biting an opponent during Uruguay’s World Cup game with Italy.
The Liverpool forward was banned for nine international matches and suspended from all football activity for four months after he bit Italy defender Giorgio Chiellini during the World Cup Group D clash.
The punishment handed out to Suarez, which also included a £66,000 fine, was decided upon by a panel of judges independent from world football’s organising body.
And Blatter refused to be drawn on their decision, although he did say it was right that Suarez was punished for his behaviour.
“We are fighting for fair play on the field of play,” said Blatter. “Also off the field of play, but mainly on it.
“This is not fair what he has done, it is definitely not fair.
“The decision has been taken by a panel of seven judges and it is not up to me to make a comment on that.
“They have obviously taken into consideration the incidents with this player, who has already been suspended from football from similar activity.
“But I cannot say it is too much or whatever, this is an independent organisation from FIFA who have taken this decision.”
Suarez, 27, is expected to appeal his punishment, while Uruguay coach Oscar Tabarez has accused FIFA of making the player a "scapegoat" and resigned from his role within football's governing body in protest over the striker's punishment.
However, general secretary Jerome Valcke has defended the sanctions - and urged Suarez to seek treatment.
Speaking at FIFA's daily media briefing in Rio de Janeiro, Valcke said: "A message to Luis Suarez? I think he should find a way to stop doing it. I think he shoud go through treatment because it's definitely wrong.
"It's not the first time. If it's the first time, it's an incident. If it's more than one time it's not just an incident and that's why the sanction has to be exemplary."
FIFA president Sepp Blatter has refused to comment on the severity of the sanctions handed to Luis Suarez for biting an opponent during Uruguay’s World Cup game with Italy.
The Liverpool forward was banned for nine international matches and suspended from all football activity for four months after he bit Italy defender Giorgio Chiellini during the World Cup Group D clash.
The punishment handed out to Suarez, which also included a £66,000 fine, was decided upon by a panel of judges independent from world football’s organising body.
And Blatter refused to be drawn on their decision, although he did say it was right that Suarez was punished for his behaviour.
“We are fighting for fair play on the field of play,” said Blatter. “Also off the field of play, but mainly on it.
“This is not fair what he has done, it is definitely not fair.
“The decision has been taken by a panel of seven judges and it is not up to me to make a comment on that.
“They have obviously taken into consideration the incidents with this player, who has already been suspended from football from similar activity.
“But I cannot say it is too much or whatever, this is an independent organisation from FIFA who have taken this decision.”
Suarez, 27, is expected to appeal his punishment, while Uruguay coach Oscar Tabarez has accused FIFA of making the player a "scapegoat" and resigned from his role within football's governing body in protest over the striker's punishment.
However, general secretary Jerome Valcke has defended the sanctions - and urged Suarez to seek treatment.
Speaking at FIFA's daily media briefing in Rio de Janeiro, Valcke said: "A message to Luis Suarez? I think he should find a way to stop doing it. I think he shoud go through treatment because it's definitely wrong.
"It's not the first time. If it's the first time, it's an incident. If it's more than one time it's not just an incident and that's why the sanction has to be exemplary."
FIFA president Sepp Blatter has refused to comment on the severity of the sanctions handed to Luis Suarez for biting an opponent during Uruguay’s World Cup game with Italy.
The Liverpool forward was banned for nine international matches and suspended from all football activity for four months after he bit Italy defender Giorgio Chiellini during the World Cup Group D clash.
The punishment handed out to Suarez, which also included a £66,000 fine, was decided upon by a panel of judges independent from world football’s organising body.
And Blatter refused to be drawn on their decision, although he did say it was right that Suarez was punished for his behaviour.
“We are fighting for fair play on the field of play,” said Blatter. “Also off the field of play, but mainly on it.
“This is not fair what he has done, it is definitely not fair.
“The decision has been taken by a panel of seven judges and it is not up to me to make a comment on that.
“They have obviously taken into consideration the incidents with this player, who has already been suspended from football from similar activity.
“But I cannot say it is too much or whatever, this is an independent organisation from FIFA who have taken this decision.”
Suarez, 27, is expected to appeal his punishment, while Uruguay coach Oscar Tabarez has accused FIFA of making the player a "scapegoat" and resigned from his role within football's governing body in protest over the striker's punishment.
However, general secretary Jerome Valcke has defended the sanctions - and urged Suarez to seek treatment.
Speaking at FIFA's daily media briefing in Rio de Janeiro, Valcke said: "A message to Luis Suarez? I think he should find a way to stop doing it. I think he shoud go through treatment because it's definitely wrong.
"It's not the first time. If it's the first time, it's an incident. If it's more than one time it's not just an incident and that's why the sanction has to be exemplary."
FIFA president Sepp Blatter has refused to comment on the severity of the sanctions handed to Luis Suarez for biting an opponent during Uruguay’s World Cup game with Italy.
The Liverpool forward was banned for nine international matches and suspended from all football activity for four months after he bit Italy defender Giorgio Chiellini during the World Cup Group D clash.
The punishment handed out to Suarez, which also included a £66,000 fine, was decided upon by a panel of judges independent from world football’s organising body.
And Blatter refused to be drawn on their decision, although he did say it was right that Suarez was punished for his behaviour.
“We are fighting for fair play on the field of play,” said Blatter. “Also off the field of play, but mainly on it.
“This is not fair what he has done, it is definitely not fair.
“The decision has been taken by a panel of seven judges and it is not up to me to make a comment on that.
“They have obviously taken into consideration the incidents with this player, who has already been suspended from football from similar activity.
“But I cannot say it is too much or whatever, this is an independent organisation from FIFA who have taken this decision.”
Suarez, 27, is expected to appeal his punishment, while Uruguay coach Oscar Tabarez has accused FIFA of making the player a "scapegoat" and resigned from his role within football's governing body in protest over the striker's punishment.
However, general secretary Jerome Valcke has defended the sanctions - and urged Suarez to seek treatment.
Speaking at FIFA's daily media briefing in Rio de Janeiro, Valcke said: "A message to Luis Suarez? I think he should find a way to stop doing it. I think he shoud go through treatment because it's definitely wrong.
"It's not the first time. If it's the first time, it's an incident. If it's more than one time it's not just an incident and that's why the sanction has to be exemplary."
Having already signed striker Rickie Lambert and with attacking midfielder Adam Lallana set to complete his move to Liverpool this weekend, The Reds are set to continue their summer spending with more attacking players.
Reports on Saturday claim that Liverpool are looking to sign Benfica’s Serbian winger Lazar Markovic and Belgium forward Divock Origi is also a deal which looks set to be completed – with the teenager staying at Lille on loan initially.
The Guardian write that Liverpool “are prepared to improve their attacking options for next season by making an offer for Benfica’s highly-rated Serbia international, Lazar Markovic, who has a £20m release clause, and the Belgium international forward Divock Origi.”
Markovic, 20, was previously a transfer target for Chelsea, but joined Benfica last summer from Partizan.
Brendan Rodgers is also linked with ongoing targets – Sevilla’s Alberto Moreno and Southampton’s Dejan Lovren, as well as Barcelona forward Alexis Sanchez.
With all the apparent spending at Anfield, there may be a fear that the money is spent ahead of a move away for Luis Suarez.
Initial reports after the ban this week all claimed FSG were keen to keep Suarez at Anfield, but that a bid of £80 million would be required to sell the forward, something that The Daily Mail reiterate.
However, there are contrasting reports on a supposed meeting between Liverpool officials and Suarez’s lawyer in Barcelona on Friday.
The Mail claim Suarez’s lawyer Alejandro Balbi was in Barcelona to discuss his client’s future, while The Guardian say that contrary to Balbi’s claims, Liverpool have instead been finalising a deal for Lallana.
The Independent also lead with Liverpool not allowing Suarez to leave for anything less than £80m, saying that “they have taken an executive decision that, for now, there is nothing they can do other than make sure they stand their ground on any potential sale of the player.”
They add that Liverpool have been unable to view FIFA’s documents relating to Suarez’s ban and that “the early indications are that the club will only be able to see the documents once the AUF [Uruguayan Football Association] has completed its appeal process.” Therefore, Liverpool have been unable to comment further after their initial short statement on Thursday.
Busy times at Anfield.
Having already signed striker Rickie Lambert and with attacking midfielder Adam Lallana set to complete his move to Liverpool this weekend, The Reds are set to continue their summer spending with more attacking players.
Reports on Saturday claim that Liverpool are looking to sign Benfica’s Serbian winger Lazar Markovic and Belgium forward Divock Origi is also a deal which looks set to be completed – with the teenager staying at Lille on loan initially.
The Guardian write that Liverpool “are prepared to improve their attacking options for next season by making an offer for Benfica’s highly-rated Serbia international, Lazar Markovic, who has a £20m release clause, and the Belgium international forward Divock Origi.”
Markovic, 20, was previously a transfer target for Chelsea, but joined Benfica last summer from Partizan.
Brendan Rodgers is also linked with ongoing targets – Sevilla’s Alberto Moreno and Southampton’s Dejan Lovren, as well as Barcelona forward Alexis Sanchez.
With all the apparent spending at Anfield, there may be a fear that the money is spent ahead of a move away for Luis Suarez.
Initial reports after the ban this week all claimed FSG were keen to keep Suarez at Anfield, but that a bid of £80 million would be required to sell the forward, something that The Daily Mail reiterate.
However, there are contrasting reports on a supposed meeting between Liverpool officials and Suarez’s lawyer in Barcelona on Friday.
The Mail claim Suarez’s lawyer Alejandro Balbi was in Barcelona to discuss his client’s future, while The Guardian say that contrary to Balbi’s claims, Liverpool have instead been finalising a deal for Lallana.
The Independent also lead with Liverpool not allowing Suarez to leave for anything less than £80m, saying that “they have taken an executive decision that, for now, there is nothing they can do other than make sure they stand their ground on any potential sale of the player.”
They add that Liverpool have been unable to view FIFA’s documents relating to Suarez’s ban and that “the early indications are that the club will only be able to see the documents once the AUF [Uruguayan Football Association] has completed its appeal process.” Therefore, Liverpool have been unable to comment further after their initial short statement on Thursday.
Busy times at Anfield.
Barcelona and Real Madrid still want Luis Suarez and negotiations have already begun over a move from Liverpool to Spain, according to Sky Sports Spanish football pundit Guillem Balague.
The Uruguayan’s Liverpool contract is rumoured to contain a buyout clause and Suarez was heavily linked with a move to both clubs at the start of the World Cup.
Suarez’s bite on Italy's Giorgio Chiellini had cast doubt on whether the Spanish giants would move for him, but Balague insists the interest remains undiminished and talks between Liverpool and Barcelona continue over a switch to La Liga.
“It is quite clear that Barcelona and Real Madrid have not been put off by the situation but Barcelona at least will want Suarez to apologise at some point because that has been missing,” Balague told Sky Sports News.
“There is no doubt whatsoever that Barcelona still want the player. Real Madrid think they’ve still got an option of getting him and of course even though there is a buyout clause of 80m euros.
“What Barcelona would like perhaps is bringing that price down and taking advantage of the situation. In any case negotiations will continue. There have been conversations taking place at the highest level. The president of Barcelona (Josep Maria) Bartomeu has taken over the conversations.
“There have been talks between Luis Suarez’s representatives and Barcelona, but there have also been talks for months between those representatives and Real Madrid.
“Real Madrid thought they had the player wrapped up. They thought they could go and negotiate with Liverpool this summer but things changed the moment Luis Suarez indicated his preferred choice would be Barcelona.
“I think perhaps now after the (biting) incident things have changed a little bit. It would be difficult for Luis to go back to Liverpool I assume but in any case Barcelona still want him.
“If they bring €70m or €80m to the table I’m sure Liverpool will at least have to listen to that. It seems clear that at some point in his career he wanted to come to Spain and the favourites at the moment, if Liverpool accept a transfer, will be Barcelona."
Asked if any potential move would be an outright cash transaction, Balague said that one or more players could be part of a deal that could see Suarez move to the Nou Camp.
“It could be one or two players,” he said. “I think Liverpool may accept Alexis (Sanchez) and Pedro if that was a possibility. It’s quite clear that Barcelona would also accept Alexis and Pedro moving to Liverpool.
“Pedro said after Spain got knocked out of the World Cup that he would talk to Barcelona about his future. It’s up to him if he wants to stay. He’s still under contract but if he gets pushed then he will have to decide where to go.
“It’s the same with Alexis. He’s got an offer from Juventus and an offer from Liverpool but he will have to decide which one he prefers.”
Barcelona and Real Madrid still want Luis Suarez and negotiations have already begun over a move from Liverpool to Spain, according to Sky Sports Spanish football pundit Guillem Balague.
The Uruguayan’s Liverpool contract is rumoured to contain a buyout clause and Suarez was heavily linked with a move to both clubs at the start of the World Cup.
Suarez’s bite on Italy's Giorgio Chiellini had cast doubt on whether the Spanish giants would move for him, but Balague insists the interest remains undiminished and talks between Liverpool and Barcelona continue over a switch to La Liga.
“It is quite clear that Barcelona and Real Madrid have not been put off by the situation but Barcelona at least will want Suarez to apologise at some point because that has been missing,” Balague told Sky Sports News.
“There is no doubt whatsoever that Barcelona still want the player. Real Madrid think they’ve still got an option of getting him and of course even though there is a buyout clause of 80m euros.
“What Barcelona would like perhaps is bringing that price down and taking advantage of the situation. In any case negotiations will continue. There have been conversations taking place at the highest level. The president of Barcelona (Josep Maria) Bartomeu has taken over the conversations.
“There have been talks between Luis Suarez’s representatives and Barcelona, but there have also been talks for months between those representatives and Real Madrid.
“Real Madrid thought they had the player wrapped up. They thought they could go and negotiate with Liverpool this summer but things changed the moment Luis Suarez indicated his preferred choice would be Barcelona.
“I think perhaps now after the (biting) incident things have changed a little bit. It would be difficult for Luis to go back to Liverpool I assume but in any case Barcelona still want him.
“If they bring €70m or €80m to the table I’m sure Liverpool will at least have to listen to that. It seems clear that at some point in his career he wanted to come to Spain and the favourites at the moment, if Liverpool accept a transfer, will be Barcelona."
Asked if any potential move would be an outright cash transaction, Balague said that one or more players could be part of a deal that could see Suarez move to the Nou Camp.
“It could be one or two players,” he said. “I think Liverpool may accept Alexis (Sanchez) and Pedro if that was a possibility. It’s quite clear that Barcelona would also accept Alexis and Pedro moving to Liverpool.
“Pedro said after Spain got knocked out of the World Cup that he would talk to Barcelona about his future. It’s up to him if he wants to stay. He’s still under contract but if he gets pushed then he will have to decide where to go.
“It’s the same with Alexis. He’s got an offer from Juventus and an offer from Liverpool but he will have to decide which one he prefers.”
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