Suarez banned for 10 matches by FA

Liverpool striker Luis Suarez was banned for 10 matches by the English Football Association on Wednesday for biting an opponent during a Premier League match, ruling him out for the rest of the season.

Liverpool managing director Ian Ayre said Suarez and the club were ‘shocked and disappointed’ at the punishment.

The FA said in a statement that a three-man independent panel ruled that the regular suspension of three games for violent conduct was ‘clearly insufficient’ after Suarez bit Chelsea defender Branislav Ivanovic on the upper right arm during the 2-2 draw at Anfield on Sunday.

He wasn’t sent off because the referee didn’t see the incident, which was reviewed retroactively.

Suarez has until Friday to appeal against the extra seven games added to his sanction.

“We await the written reasons tomorrow before making any further comment,” Ayre said in a Liverpool statement.

Suarez, who has admitted to biting Ivanovic and apologised, was banned for seven matches in 2010 for a similar offence while playing for Ajax against PSV Eindhoven in the Dutch league.

He was suspended for eight games in December 2011 for making racist insults toward Manchester United defender Patrice Evra during a match.