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Former Liverpool and Barcelona striker Luis Suarez has received a six-match ban for allegedly spitting at a Seattle Sounders staff member following Inter Miami's 3-0 defeat in last week's Leagues Cup final.
The incident occurred just after the final whistle at Lumen Field in Seattle, during a fracas involving players from both sides, which the ex-Reds forward had initially instigated. However, Suarez's suspension applies solely to Leagues Cup games, meaning he remains available for Major League Soccer matches.
The controversy began when Suarez grabbed Mexican international Obed Vargas around the throat, before teammate Sergio Busquets subsequently struck the Sounders midfielder in the face.
The striker, who represented Liverpool between 2011 and 2014, then became embroiled in a confrontation with a Sounders staff member shortly afterwards and had to be physically restrained by colleague Oscar Ustari, before appearing to spit towards the coach.
Taking to social media to address the incident on Thursday, Suarez wrote: "First of all, I want to congratulate the Seattle Sounders for their Leagues Cup victory.
"But more importantly, I want to apologize for my behavior at the end of the game. It was a moment full of tension and frustration, when things took place at the end of the game that shouldn't have occurred, but that doesn't justify my reaction. I made a mistake and I'm sincerely sorry.
"That's not the image that I want to portray in front of my family, who suffer for my errors, and (Inter Miami) doesn't deserve to be affected by this either.
"I feel bad for what happened, and I did not want to miss this opportunity to recognize it and ask everyone for forgiveness who felt poorly about what I did.
"We know there is still a lot of season to play for, and we're going to work together in order to accomplish the goals that this club and its fans deserve. A hug to all."
Nevertheless, the Instagram apology appears to have made little difference, with the 38-year-old receiving a suspension covering half a dozen Leagues Cup games.
The spitting controversy represents the latest in a series of incidents involving Suarez, who joined Liverpool in January 2011 just months after allegedly biting Otman Bakkal during his time at Ajax, resulting in a seven-game suspension.
In 2013, Suarez allegedly bit Chelsea's Branislav Ivanovic during a 2-2 stalemate at Anfield, earning him a 10-game ban, before a comparable incident occurred with Italy's Giorgio Chiellini at the 2014 World Cup.
FIFA imposed a four-month suspension following that episode.
In 2011, he was slapped with an eight-game ban after being accused of racially abusing Manchester United defender Patrice Evra, in addition to a fine.
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