Football
Ben Gladwell, Italy correspondent 10y

Chiellini: Suarez ban 'excessive'

Italy defender Giorgio Chiellini has said he feels for Luis Suarez after the striker was handed a nine-game and four-month ban for biting him during the Uruguay victory that knocked the Azzurri out of the World Cup.

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Suarez has been banned for nine international matches -- and from all football activity for four months -- after being found guilty of biting Chiellini.

But according to the Juventus defender, world football's governing body has been too harsh on Liverpool forward Suarez.

"I don't have any feelings of joy, revenge or anger towards Suarez for an incident which happened on the field and finished there," Chiellini said on his website.

"I'm just angry and disappointed about losing the game. At the moment, my only thoughts are with Luis and his family, because they're faced with a very difficult period."

While saying FIFA was right to punish Suarez, Chiellini said he felt the punishment did not fit the crime.

"I always considered the disciplinary measures by the governing organisations to be unequivocal, but at the same time I think what they have proposed is excessive," the 29-year-old added.

"I sincerely hope that he will be permitted at least to be close to his teammates during their games, because forbidding him from doing that would be alienating him."

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