What We're Reading
Liverpool: No Plans to Sell Suarez
- ESPN FC, Monday, April 22, 2013 1:33 PM
Liverpool striker Luis Suarez is facing a lengthy ban from England’s FA for biting Branislav Ivanovic on the shoulder during Liverpool’s 2-2 draw with
Chelsea at Anfield on Sunday; however, on Monday the club has said it has no intention of selling the controversial striker.
“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,” Managing Director Ian
Ayre told Liverpool’s Web site on Monday. “He's a very popular player with his teammates. 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 ... This is more about getting him back on the right track and it's largely down to [Coach Brendan Rodgers] now to work with
him on that side of his character."
Since the incident, Suarez has publicly apologized
via Twitter for his “unacceptable” behavior, and revealed that Liverpool fined him on Monday. The Professional Footballers’ Association, which nominated him for the PFA Player of
the Year Award last week, has offered the striker anger management counseling. However, the most important action is still to come from the FA, which confirmed it would review the incident after referee Kevin
Friend admitted he had missed it.
Suarez, the Premier League’s top scorer this season, was banned for seven games in November 2010 for biting PSV Eindhoven midfielder
Otman Bakkal on the shoulder while playing for Ajax. That turned out to be his last game for the Amsterdam club, as he was sold to Liverpool in January 2011.
