LONDON ¨C Italy defender Giorgio Chiellini has said the ban FIFA handed down to Luis Suarez is ¡°excessive¡± and that he feels no anger toward the controversial Uruguay striker.
Suarez was given the longest sanction imposed at a World Cup by soccer¡¯s governing body on Thursday, suspended from all soccer-related activity for four months and banned for nine international matches for biting Chiellini in their final Group D match in Natal, Brazil on Tuesday.
Suarez will miss the first two months of Liverpool¡¯s Premier League and Champions League campaigns, and may not appear for his country in a non-friendly match again until 2016.
¡°Now inside me there¡¯s no feelings of joy, revenge or anger against Suarez for an incident that happened on the pitch and that¡¯s done,¡± Juventus center back Chiellini said in a statement posted on his website.
¡°There only remain the anger and the disappointment about the match. At the moment my only thought is for Luis and his family, because they will face a very difficult period.
He added: ¡°I have always considered unequivocal the disciplinary interventions by the competent bodies, but at the same time I believe that the proposed formula is excessive.
¡°I sincerely hope that he will be allowed, at least, to stay close to his teammates during the games because such a ban is really alienating for a player.¡±
Uruguay won the match 1-0 and advanced to meet Colombia in a round of 16 tie on Saturday, but Suarez, 27, will miss the contest and the rest of the tournament after his ban.
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