Luis Suarez faced further criticism on Monday night after issuing a belated apology for biting Giorgio Chiellini and promising never to be involved in such an incident again – just as Barcelona stepped up their bid to sign him. Four days after receiving a four-month ban from the game and telling FIFA that the clash during Uruguay’s World Cup match against Italy in Natal was an accident in which he ‘lost balance’, the Liverpool striker made a complete U-turn and admitted he deeply regretted his actions. But the apology has led to widespread cynicism in the week that the 27-year-old was linked with an £80million move to the Nou Camp.
Gary Lineker, the former Barcelona striker, claimed the Catalan giants had insisted that Suarez say sorry if any potential transfer is to go through.