Luis Suárez Hit With Suspension Over Spitting Incident In Leagues Cup Defeat To Seattle Sounders

‎Inter Miami striker, Luis Suárez, has been hit with a six-match suspension after his conduct in last weekend’s fiery Leagues Cup final defeat to the Seattle Sounders.

‎The 38-year-old former Uruguay, Liverpool, and Barcelona forward was involved in a post-match melee after Miami’s 3-0 loss.

‎Tournament disciplinary officials confirmed he was punished for spitting at a Sounders official during the incident.

‎A statement from the Leagues Cup Disciplinary Committee said Suarez’s suspension would only apply to next year’s edition of the tournament, although Major League Soccer “reserves the right” to impose additional punishment.

‎Suarez’s Inter Miami teammate Sergio Busquets has also been given a two-match ban. Another Inter player, Tomas Aviles, has been barred from three games. Seattle coaching staff member Steven Lenhart has been suspended for five games.

‎The chaotic scenes at the end of Sunday’s final, which featured teams from MLS and Liga MX, led to a range of punishments.

‎Immediately after the final whistle, Suarez charged toward 20-year-old Sounders midfielder Obed Vargas and grabbed him in a headlock, sparking a melee involving players and staff from both sides.

‎The incident prompted disciplinary actions across the participating clubs and officials.

‎Officials scrambled to restore order, but cameras later caught Suarez spitting at a Seattle security staff member as he walked away from Vargas.

‎Suarez, who has previously been hit with suspensions for biting and racially abusing opponents in separate incidents earlier in his career, issued an apology for his behaviour in a statement on Thursday.

‎”It was a moment of great tension and frustration, where right after the match things happened that shouldn’t have happened, but that doesn’t justify the reaction I had,” Suarez wrote on Instagram.

‎”I was wrong and I sincerely regret it… I feel bad about what happened, and I didn’t want to miss the opportunity to acknowledge it and apologise to everyone who felt hurt by what I did,” Suarez added.

‎It marked the latest episode in Suarez’s chequered disciplinary career.

‎Luis Suárez was famously sent off at the 2014 World Cup after receiving a four-month ban for biting Giorgio Chiellini of Italy. He has faced multiple biting-related sanctions in club football as well.

‎In 2011, English authorities handed him an eight-game ban for allegedly racially abusing Patrice Evra of Manchester United.