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LONDON (AFP) –
Liverpool‘s Uruguayan striker Luis Suarez (R) clashes with Chelsea‘s Serbian defender Branislav Ivanovic (L) after biting the Chelsea player during the English Premier League football match between Liverpool and Chelsea at the Anfield stadium in Liverpool, northwest England, on April 21, 2013.
Liverpool striker Luis Suarez has been fined and has asked for the money to be donated to the Hillsborough Family Support Group following the Uruguayan’s shocking bite on Chelsea defender Branislav Ivanovic.
Suarez sunk his teeth into Ivanovic’s right arm during Sunday’s 2-2 draw at Anfield in the Premier League.
The ugly incident has sparked widespread condemnation of Suarez and both the player and Liverpool were forced to apologise, while Reds manager Brendan Rodgers claimed his star forward’s actions were unacceptable.
Suarez is likely to face a lengthy ban from the Football Association for his actions, but Liverpool have already punished the 26-year-old with a fine, which he will give to the families of the 96 Liverpool fans who died in a terrace crush before an FA Cup semi-final at Hillsborough in 1989.
Last Monday’s 24th anniversary of the tragedy was marked by a memorial service at Anfield which Suarez and his team-mates attended.
Liverpool striker Luis Suarez tries to make peace with Chelsea defender Branislav Ivanovic on April 21, 2013. Suarez was quick to apologise via his Twitter account after he bit Ivanovic in the 2-2 draw at Anfield.
“For my unacceptable behaviour yesterday the club has fined me today,” Suarez wrote on Twitter on Monday.
“I have asked the club to donate the money to the Hillsborough Family Support Group for the inconvenience I have created to the Liverpool fans and to Ivanovic.”
Hillsborough Families Support Group chairman Margaret Aspinall insisted they would accept the donation, but made it clear she didn’t approve of Suarez’s behaviour.
“It is a nice gesture but we can’t say we are grateful because we would rather him not have done that at all,” Aspinall said.
“We could refuse to accept it but it is going to have to go to someone – and he wants to show respect and remorse to the families.”
As referee Kevin Friend missed the incident, Suarez is likely to be punished with a retrospective Football Association suspension, but some pundits, including former Liverpool captain Graeme Souness, believe it could be time for the club to cut ties with Suarez as he is damaging their reputation.
Liverpool’s Uruguayan striker Luis Suarez smiles during the match against Chelsea on April 21, 2013. Former Liverpool manager Graeme Souness, now a television pundit, said Suarez’s future was now in jeopardy.
Suarez’s latest controversy has forced Liverpool’s managing director Ian Ayre to cancel a trip to Australia and the Far East to deal with the fall-out.
But Ayre is adamant Liverpool will not bow to outside pressure to sell Suarez at the end of the season.
“It affects his future in the sense that we have to work with him on his discipline – but Luis is a very important player to the club,” Ayre told Liverpool’s website.
“As we keep saying, he signed a new four-year contract last summer and we’d all love to see him here throughout that contract.
“He’s a fantastic player, top scorer and everything we’d want in a striker, so there’s no change there.
“This is more about getting him back on the right track and it’s largely down to (manager) Brendan (Rodgers) now to work with him on that side of his character.”
Liverpool striker Luis Suarez celebrates his late equaliser against Chelsea on April 21, 2013. Suarez was quick to apologise to Ivanovic via his Twitter account.
Suarez has a long list of previous misdemeanours even before joining Liverpool from Ajax in January 2011 and it is not the first time he has been in trouble for biting.
But, responding to calls for Suarez to be kicked out of English football, Professional Footballers’ Association chief executive Gordon Taylor revealed the players’ union would offer anger management counselling to deal with his temper.
“There is no doubting his football ability, that’s why it is so disappointing and embarrassing when he lets himself down,” Taylor said.
“We have to work hard on anger management now. We have trained counsellors in this field and we will be offering their services to Liverpool and the player to try to improve matters.”
In November 2010, Suarez was banned for seven matches and dubbed the ‘Cannibal of Ajax’ after biting PSV Eindhoven’s Otman Bakkal.
In December 2011, he was banned for eight matches and fined £40,000 ($60,000) after being found guilty of racially abusing Manchester United defender Patrice Evra.
Suarez is also one of the candidates for the PFA Player of the Year award to be announced on Sunday, and Taylor confirmed that the latest scandal would not affect his position on the shortlist.
“It’s decided on votes and it is a football matter but of course it is embarrassing that it should happen,” Taylor added.
