The FA’s decision to hand Luis Suarez a ten-match ban for biting is ‘strange’, according to Manchester City manager Roberto Mancini.
The Liverpool striker appeared to sink his teeth into Chelsea defender Branislav Ivanovic last weekend and the FA handed him a lengthy spell on the sidelines.
However, when questioned about the ban at his pre-match press conference, City’s Italian boss said the sanction was too harsh.
“Sometimes they take a strange decision,” said Mancini. “In this case you want my opinion? This is strange. Ten games, I think that is too much.
“I think that five or six games are enough, but this is just my opinion. I don’t work for the FA.”
Everyone across the country has had his or her say on the issue, including Prime Minister David Cameron.
The Conservative leader told BBC Radio 5 Live the Uruguayan set ‘the most appalling example’.
He added: “As a dad and as a human being, do I think we should have tough penalties when football players behave like this? Yes.”
However, Mancini is not so sure and perhaps agrees with Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers, who thinks media attention has blown the ban out of proportion.
The 48-year-old was asked if he thought the ban was so high due the culture of English football – we are used to bad tackles, but not spitting and biting.
However, he shrugged off such suggestions and told reporters there should be little disciplinary difference between a two-footed tackle and a bite.
“For me it could be the same,” Mancini added. “Maybe one or two or three games more could be correct, but not ten.”
Image courtesy of barclaysfootballtv, via YouTube, with thanks.
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