Aldo: Ban will scare off potential buyers
Suarez has been heavily linked with Real Madrid and Barcelona and while yesterday’s Fifa ban his ban excludes him from training with Liverpool or any other club and from going to any stadium, it does not prevent him being transferred to another club.
Suarez’s ban means that — should he stay at Anfield — he’ll miss Liverpool’s first nine Premier League games next season, a massive blow to their title challenge before a ball is kicked.
Aldridge, though, has tried to find a positive angle, claiming Suarez’s ban will scare off potential buyers.
“I think for your Barcelonas and Real Madrids it’s untenable now to come and take him knowing he’s got a worldwide ban for so long,” he said.
“I think the only possible situation now is for him to stay at Liverpool, and perhaps in the long-term stabilise his position as a Liverpool player.”
However, ex-Red Mark Lawrenson believes club owners Fenway Sports Group will have no option but to sell and is confident the controversial 27-year-old will still be a wanted man.
“He is now a persistent offender and I thought actually the ban would have been much harsher,” the former Ireland defender said.
“What does Liverpool owner John Henry do now? I would think he wants to wash his hands of Suarez.
“Henry will try and get the best possible deal for Liverpool. Somebody will buy him. It is football when all is considered.”
The man himself, meanwhile, has flown out from Brazil to return to Uruguay with his World Cup over.
An appeal will be lodged but he will remained suspended during that process and is certainly out of the World Cup.
Liverpool are taking specialist legal advice over what they see as an unprecedented incident before deciding on their next move.
Fifa announced the sanctions at a news conference in Rio de Janeiro, adding that Suarez has also been fined 100,000 Swiss francs (€82,218) for his attack on Chiellini.
Uruguay will now face Colombia tomorrow with Uruguay federation (AUF) president Wilmar Valdez insisting there was no possibility of boycotting the match.
Valdez said: “Uruguay continues playing at this World Cup. We have good players who can come in.”
Valdez confirmed the association would appeal to Fifa’s appeals committee against the Suarez sanctions. Suarez and AUF can also appeal beyond that to the Court of Arbitration for Sport with the aim of obtaining a outcome before the start of the new season.
Valdez said: “We are preparing our appeal, we have three days to do it.
“It’s an extremely excessive punishment, there was not enough evidence and I have seen more aggressive incidents recently.
“It’s feels like Uruguay have been thrown out of the World Cup. We all know what Suarez means to Uruguay and to football around the world — not having him would be a loss to any team.”
Uruguay captain Diego Lugano tweeted: “Indignation, impotence, I think that is what we all feel. We would all like a more just world, but this world simply does not exist.”
Suarez’s biggest sponsor, adidas, will meet the player and his advisors after the World Cup to decide on the future of their relationship but will end their activities with him for this tournament.
A statement from the sportswear manufacturer read: “adidas fully supports Fifa’s decision. adidas certainly does not condone Luis Suarez’s recent behaviour and we will again be reminding him of the high standards we expect from our players.
“We have no plan to use Suarez for any additional marketing activities during the World Cup and will discuss all aspects of our future partnership directly with Suarez and his team following the World Cup.”
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