Nine matches doesn’t sound like a lot, but Luis Suarez will finally serve the final game of his international suspension tonight when Uruguay take on Chile.
The Barcelona star received the lengthy ban for digging his teeth into Giorgio Chiellini during his country’s World Cup pool match against Italy in Brazil last year, and while he was back in action for his club just a four months later, he remains barred from the international game.
In addition to missing this summer’s Copa America, where Uruguay were knocked out by Chile in the quarter-finals, La Celeste have also been without their all-time leading scorer for their first four World Cup qualifiers and have not selected Suarez for any of their friendlies during his suspension, relying on Hull City Abel Hernandez in the interim.
Suarez will still have to wait until March’s trip to Brazil to make his return, meaning he will have spent a total of 21 months in the international wilderness.
We’re sure he’ll be champing at the bit to get back.
