Luis Suarez given additional three-game ban by MLS for spitting incident
Suarez could miss up to nine games for spitting at a member of the Seattle Sounders' security staff
Luis Suarez has been handed an additional three-game ban by Major League Soccer after he spat at a member of the Seattle Sounders security staff following the Leagues Cup final.
The Inter Miami striker was handed a six-game ban for matches in the Leagues Cup following the incident that occurred after Javier Mascherano’s men were beaten 3-0 at Lumen Field on August 31.
And MLS has now announced Suarez will serve an additional three-game suspension, ruling him out of league matches against Charlotte, Seattle and DC United.
Suarez was at the centre of a post-game brawl, putting Seattle midfielder Obed Vargas in a headlock before shouting at and then spitting on Sounders director of security Gene Ramirez.
Suarez apologises
The former Uruguay striker apologised for his actions four days after the final, writing on Instagram: “It was a moment of much tension and frustration, where just after the game ended things happened that shouldn’t have happened, but that doesn’t justify my reaction.
“I made a mistake and sincerely apologise.
“It’s not the image I want to give in front of my family, that suffers because of my mistakes, in front of my club, that also doesn’t deserve seeing themselves affected by something like this.”
It was the latest incident in a career littered with unsavoury moments that will tarnish the 38-year-old’s legacy.
In 2011, while at Liverpool, Suarez was given an eight-match ban after being found guilty of racially abusing Manchester United left-back Patrice Evra.
He has also served bans for three separate biting incidents while playing for Ajax, Liverpool and Uruguay respectively, including at the 2014 World Cup.