Inter Miami forward Luis Suarez has been handed a six-match suspension for spitting at a Seattle Sounders’ staff member following his side’s 3-0 Leagues Cup final defeat.
The incident happened shortly after the full-time whistle of the match on 31 August, following a melee involving both sets of players and sparked by the Uruguayan.
Suarez grabbed Sounders midfielder Obed Vargas around the neck, before team-mate Sergio Busquets struck the Mexico international on the chin.
Moments later, Suarez was involved in an altercation with Sounders director of security Gene Ramirez and was held back by team-mate Oscar Ustari before spitting in Ramirez’s face.
Former Liverpool and Barcelona striker Suarez, 38, apologised for his behaviour in a statement on his Instagram account.
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.
The Leagues Cup is a yearly tournament involving teams from the MLS and Mexico’s Liga MX.
Suarez’s Inter Miami team-mates Sergio Busquets and Tomas Aviles have been suspended for two and three games respectively.
Seattle coaching staff member Steven Lenhart has been suspended for five games.
Suarez is no stranger to controversy having been involved in several incidents during his career.
In 2011, when at Liverpool, Suarez was given an eight-match ban after being found guilty of racially abusing Manchester United full-back Patrice Evra.
He also served bans for three separate biting incidents when playing for Ajax, Liverpool and Uruguay.
