Uruguay Striker Luis Suarez Shows no Sign of Strain As He Waves at Fans

Disgraced Luis Suarez received a hero’s welcome when he appeared on the balcony of his home after being kicked out of the World Cup.

The shamed striker was sent back to Uruguay after being hit with a nine-game international ban and four-month suspension from all football for biting Italy defender Giorgio Chiellini last Tuesday.

But standing on the deck of his home in Lagomar, near Montevideo, the 27-year-old looked unperturbed by the ordeal.

Some might say he even looked happy to be home, giving a thumbs-up to admirers who had gathered.

 

Wearing a hooded grey top, smiling Suarez was accompanied by his children Benjamin and Delfina.

His return came as his team-mates trained in Rio ahead of their clash with Colombia and news that Liverpool are set to sell him to Barcelona for £80million.

Earlier in the day fans flocked to Carrasco International Airport to greet the arrival of the banned striker.

Uruguayan President Jose Mujica was even there at one point but left when he heard Suarez’s flight from Brazil had been delayed.

Because of the delay, the crowd of about 1,000 fans were moved from the airport terminal to an adjacent air force base to await his arrival.

The Uruguayan Football Association are preparing an appeal against the severity of the sentence, which also includes a £64,000 fine and national coach Oscar Tabarez claimed the forward had been made a worldwide scapegoat by FIFA.

During an extraordinary press conference at the Maracana on Friday evening, Tabarez read a pre-prepared 13-minute statement to claim that pressure from the English media forced FIFA to ban him for four months.

The Uruguay coach then immediately quit his position on FIFA’s technical committee and told Suarez that he has the full support of his country’s people.

Tabarez said: ‘Many times you forget the scapegoat is a person who has rights and that in this specific case, besides the mistakes and faults he has committed, he has made significant contributions on the pitch. It is the contribution made by great football players is essential.

‘As a coach and a professor, and as a former teacher, I am presented with the theory of the scapegoat. You know what I am talking about, of giving a punishment, to someone who commits a transgression, not a crime.

‘We know the protagonists and not only because of the profile he has because of the mistakes, but there is another side to him. That is a message: the severity was excessive. 

‘Perhaps I do have the answers but like many people, those who not only have to make disciplinary decisions - who wins? Who loses? Who benefits? Who is harmed? Who got things their way? 

‘To one of these questions, I will not give you a final answer, but I will try to find a response. On the basis of these exaggerated decisions, only with decisions of this nature I doubt it. After the Suarez and Chiellini episode we have seen other things measured with a different measure.  

‘When that happens we have the omission because not all cases have to do with the transgression with indiscipline. Unavoidably this leads to exaggeration in terns if punishment. 

‘We should punish and sanction, but one must always give the opportunity to hear from the person.’ 

Tabarez was highly critical of the FIFA’s disciplinary panel after they failed to give Suarez the chance to speak for himself after the incident with Chiellini.

FIFA’s strict regulations rule Luis from any involvement in football mean he cannot even watch Liverpool or Uruguay in action — he is banned from football stadiums and must train alone away from Liverpool’s Melwood training ground.

Suarez can be sold during his spell in football exile — a strong possibility — but cannot personally join in negotiations.

Showing their support: Fans carrying banners waited outside Luis Suarez's home after he returned home from the World Cup

Barcelona have made it clear that Suarez’s ban does not impact on their intention to sign him and Liverpool have already started to get replacements.

Liverpool are taking specialist legal advice, while the striker’s lawyer Alejandro Balbi was in Barcelona to discuss his client’s future

Adam Lallana will become a Liverpool player in the next 48 hours after Southampton relented and accepted a £25million offer for the England forward, four weeks after receiving the call from Anfield officials.