The Luis Suarez disease starts to spread: Italian forward Gianmario Comi alleged to have bitten opponent

Gianmario Comi (left) is alleged to have bitten Guiseppe de Luca, who is showing the bite on his arm

Italian youngster and Avellino forward Gianmario Comi is likely to face a lengthy ban after he was alleged to have bitten Bari’s Giuseppe de Luca on Sunday during a Coppa Italia third-round tie.

Luis Suarez’s dental skills have already inspired a number of daily products ranging from bottle openers to nail cutters, but now it seems that his aura has extended to other football players.

In a near reminiscent incident from the World Cup which saw Luis Suarez getting suspended for a period of four months, Comi dug his teeth into the shoulders of the opposing player while they were jostling for position inside the penalty box. The aftermath of the incident saw both players rolling on the ground in agony.

The incident however missed the eyes of the referee, who later on dismissed de Luca after the Bari defender had a furious altercation with the official. Bari went to lose the game 2-1, facing a numerical disadvantage.

The Bari man however apologized to all involved for his reaction. He stated: “I was wrong to react and apologise to everyone for having left the team down to 10 men. I never would have expected to be bitten by an opponent. Some violent tackles are part of the sport, but vile and cowardly actions like biting or spitting must not be tolerated.”

The incident will now be investigated by the Italian Football Federation and Comi could be in deep trouble if accusations against him are proved to be true.

Bari also posted a picture on their official site showing a bite mark on De Luca’s left arm. Comi is a youth player of AC Mian who is currently on loan at Avellino.