Celtic boss Neil Lennon has come out in defence of Luis Suarez over the length of the ban handed to the Liverpool striker for his bite on Branislav Ivanovic in April.
Suarez’s bite during the Reds’ 2-2 draw with Chelsea at Anfield in the Premier League cost him a 10-match ban from the Football Association.
Having served four matches before the end of the 2012/13 campaign, Suarez will miss the opening six of the new season.
Lennon says that there was too much attention and focus on the incident, comparing it to an incident in a recent international match.
He is quoted in the Independent as saying, “I was watching the British Lions last week and Owen Farrell got left-hooked by a Barbarian right on the jaw, but more is made of Suarez taking a nibble out of Ivanovic.
“I think there has to be a certain perspective put on things when it comes to football.”
Shortly after the incident, former Manchester Utd defender and Sky Sports pundit Gary Neville also said there had been an “overreaction” to bitegate.
Suarez’s future on Merseyside is unclear after comments made in the Uruguayan media last week suggesting he has been left frustrated by his career in English football.
The 26-year-old is currently 5/2 to still be at Anfield at the start of the 2013/14 campaign.
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