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Here’s a brief lesson for anyone past, present or future that happens to be slighted by the words or actions of Uruguay’s foremost bad-boy: if you want an apology from Luis Suarez, offer him an £80 million transfer from one of the world’s richest clubs to another of the world’s richest clubs. That’s what Barcelona have done, and look at the wondrous transformation it’s had on his character.
Said Suarez in the aftermath of his “altercation” with Giorgio Chiellini:
“I lost my balance, making my body unstable and falling on top of my opponent…In no way did it happen the way you (FIFA) have described, as a bite or intent to bite.”
And here’s what Luis had to say late yesterday via Twitter:
“I deeply regret what occurred….. I apologize to Giorgio Chiellini and the entire football family”
Suarez apologized to Chiellini, but was it sincere? (Photo: @BBCSport | Twitter)
What happened within the space of three days? Money, that’s what. If reports are to be believed - and there are few reasons to doubt them - Suarez was instructed by Barcelona to issue the mea culpa to smooth his path to Catalonia. Liverpool, the team which pays his £200,000 per week wages, were blissfully unaware of the Uruguayan’s impending volte face.
Adding grist to the mill, during a press conference this week, Barca Technical Director Andoni Zubizarreta delivered a perfectly-timed PDA:
“Suárez has shown he is humble enough to admit an error, which is very important. He has been humble enough to apologize to those he has affected, because it happened in the middle of a festival of football…Everyone knows that Luis is an excellent player”
Barcelona is fully behind Suarez, even though this is his third time biting a player (Photo: @TeleFootball | Twitter)
What a happy, happy coincidence that Suarez apologized shortly before Zubizarreta met the press, and how fortunate that the former Barca keeper had a pithy, measured response on-hand when asked what he thought of said apology. Sometimes everything just comes up Milhouse, doesn’t it?
