It was all fun and jokes for fans and pundits across the globe when Uruguayan striker Luis Suarez shockingly bit Italian defender Giorgio Chiellini at the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.
Internet trolls ripped into the 28-year-old attacker, and we undeniably enjoyed most of them (remember the Suarez Park troll), whilst football lovers and social media users used the opportunity to have a go at his then employers Liverpool, and the club he had not yet signed for but was set to join, Barcelona.
But it was no laughing matter for the Blaugrana. Having paid £75m for the former Ajax captain, though the Catalan giants insist it was only £65m¸they lost the luxury of calling upon his services for a lengthy spell when slapped with a 4-month football ban.
Although Barcelona fared fairly well in his absence, Luis Enrique’s side could have made use of his presence, as proven by his indispensible form and mesmerizing partnership with Messi and Neymar in the deadly MSN attacking trio.
But with Suarez heading to Berlin for the Champions League final, a game which will see him come face-to-face with Chiellini once more, worries over Suarez biting again has been raised.
Suarez waiting to face Chiellini like... pic.twitter.com/mz9gfLRKzK
— GeniusFootball (@GeniusFootball) May 13, 2015
The Uruguayan skipper has committed this crime three times already, once during his Eredivisie days, once in the English Premier League, and the latest being at the World Cup.
Labeled as a serial bitter, a look at Suarez’ three offences will point to the fact that they occurred not out of an irresistible urge to sink his teeth into opposing players, but out of frustration. This revelation, however, may do little to calm down fears over a possible bite number four.
SUAREZ PARK: The Uruguayan ace was labeled as a serial biter after committing the crime for a 3rd time!
Chiellini has been a revelation in Juventus’ formidable backline this campaign, conceding only seven goals en route to the final.
The 30-year-old Azzuri center-back, one of the highest rated defenders in the Champions League, boasts stats enough to frustrate even the greatest of strikers. Playing all 12 games, 1080 minutes of football, Chiellini wins 62% of his duels, performs an average of 9 defensive actions, and boasts an 89% pass accuracy.
On a per-game average, the Italian wins 0.83 tackles, with a 68.09% aerial duel success rate. He also makes 2.67 interceptions, 0.33 blocks, and 5.92 clearances per every 90 minute.
Chiellini and Co. kept Benzema, Bale, and Ronaldo (BBC) quiet in their two-legged semis clash
This means Suarez may find it difficult to get pass Chiellini and break down the Bianconeri defense, something which could aggravate the Barcelona superstar. And we've not even factored his rocky relationship with Patrice Evra into the equation.
He might be almost a year mature since his last biting controversy, but the odds of him repeating his actions is fairly high. Luis Enrique must just cross his fingers and pray Suarez does not fall back to old habits and receive a far more severe punishment.
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