Luis Suarez may have been punished by FIFA for his rude behavior on the field, but an unlikely person has now stepped up and show support to the beleaguered football player: Giorgio Chiellini.
The Italian defender whom Suarez had bitten towards the end of a group match between Italy and Uruguay, criticized the world soccer body's punishment on the Liverpool forward, of which he had deemed "excessive," The Telegraph reported. Chiellini also admitted that he feels sympathy for the otherwise talented 27 year-old and his family of whom he believes will also suffer.
The Juventus defender posted a message on his website, which read, "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... 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 team-mates during the games because such a ban is really alienating for a player."
Apart from Chiellini, Argentina football legend joined the Uruguayan's supporters in appealing for FIFA to relax Suarez's punishment. Suarez has been banned from nine international matches and from all football for four months, threatening his career with Liverpool.
"The Fifa sanction is shameful, they have no sensitivity towards the fans, they might as well handcuff him and throw him in Guantanamo," Maradona has said.
The Telegraph added that Uruguay has since appealed the ban and that Suarez's legal counsel has claimed that they are prepared to take their case to the Sport of Arbitration.
Jerome Valcke, the FIFA General Secretary, has said that Suarez would need to be accountable for his actions and that he should be seeking help for his conduct.
"It's not Liverpool who is punished. It's the player who is punished. I think he should go through treatment. It's not the first time," he added.
