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FIFA bans Liverpool and Uruguay striker Luis Suarez for four months

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RIO DE JANEIRO (SportingAlert) — Uruguay striker Luis Suarez has been suspended for four months and nine matches by FIFA and fined, following his biting incident during a World Cup group match against Italy this week.

Replays showed the controversial striker biting Italy’s defender Giorgio Chiellini during his team’s 1-0 win in Tuesday’s 2014 FIFA World Cup Group D last game.

Suarez was found guilty by FIFA, who outlined that the Liverpool forward is barred from taking part in “any football activity” for four months, while stating that the nine match suspension is for international duties with Uruguay.

“The player Luis Suárez is to be suspended for nine (9) official matches. The first match of this suspension is to be served in the upcoming FIFA World Cup™ fixture between Colombia and Uruguay on 28 June 2014,” FIFA said in a statement.

“The remaining match suspensions shall be served in Uruguay’s next FIFA World Cup match(es), as long as the team qualifies, and/or in the representative team’s subsequent official matches in accordance with art. 38 par. 2a) of the FDC.

The news means that Suarez will take no further part in this year’s FIFA World Cup and will miss Uruguay’s last 16 clash against Colombia. He is also slapped with a stadium ban as well.

The statement added: “A stadium ban is pronounced against the player Luis Suárez in accordance with art. 21 of the FDC as follows: the player Luis Suárez is prohibited from entering the confines of any stadium during the period of the ban (point 3).

“The player Luis Suárez is prohibited from entering the confines of any stadium in which the representative team of Uruguay is playing while he has to serve the nine-match suspension (point 2).”

FIFA said the ban begins today, which will see Suarez unavailable for Liverpool until November.

Cesare Prandelli says he is resigning as Italy manager

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NATAL, Brazil (SportingAlert) — Cesare Prandelli has offered his resignation as Italy manager, after his team was knocked out of the FIFA 2014 World Cup.

Italy, who started the tournament with a 2-1 win over England was beaten 1-0 by Costa Rica last week and the suffered a similar result to Uruguay on Tuesday.

The Italian Federation says it will try and convinced the 56-year-old to reconsider his decision.

Meanwhile, Prandelli gave his thoughts on the alleged biting incident of Luis Suarez of Uruguay on Italy defender Giorgio Chiellini in the defeat.

“I didn’t see the images of Suarez but I did see the bite marks in Chiellini’s shoulder,” Prandelli was quoted as saying.

“It is a shame a real shame but when these defeats are determined by wrongful choices, everything becomes complicated and it is hard to comment.”

Speaking to Gazzetta Chiellini said: “The disparity in judgement has been evident.

“Claudio Marchisio’s sending off was ridiculous but more so the fact that Luis Suarez wasn’t sent off. There’s the will to protect champions but the referee should have shown him a red card.

“There’s a clear simulation after, a clear sign that he had done something that he wasn’t supposed to.

“The gesture is clear. Referees document themselves on players and Suarez has a very clear history. The referee has given a clear address, he hasn’t spoken throughout the game.

“We are not happy with how things have gone but we were the only ones to deserve to progress to the next round.”

Video Replay: Luis Suarez appeared to have bit Giorgio Chiellini

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NATAL, Brazil (SportingAlert) — Forward Luis Suarez is again at the center of controversy after he appeared to have bitten an Italian player during the World Cup clash at Arena das Dunas on Tuesday.

The Liverpool and Uruguay striker found himself tangled up with Italy defender Giorgio Chiellini inside the penalty area.

Chiellini appeared to have elbowed Suarez, who retaliated as the pair both went down on the pitch.

During that moment, replays showed Suarez bit Chiellini, who did all he could to show the referee what had happened – pulling down his shirt to show the mark on his shoulder.

“It was ridiculous not to send Suarez off,” Chiellini told Rai TV. “It is clear, clear-cut and then there was the obvious dive afterwards because he knew very well that he did something that he shouldn’t have done.”

Luis Suarez pulling his tooth after apparently biting another player

“Tell me Suarez didn’t eat someone. He was the hero a couple a days ago,” former England and Manchester United defender Rio Ferdinand said on his Twitter account.

A coaching staff of Italy was sent to the stands by Mexican referee Marco Rodriguez, as protests over the Suarez biting incident continues.

Reports in Brazil are saying that FIFA is already demanding an investigation into the incident, which could see Suarez banned from the rest of the tournament if found guilty of wrong doing.

Former Republic of Ireland midfielder Kevin Kilbane said: “The Luis Suarez biting incident is incredible.

“I can’t see him playing any more at the 2014 World Cup.”

Former England and Liverpool striker Michael Owen added: “Tell me I’m seeing things. Surely Suarez didn’t bite someone again?

“I’m genuinely gutted. I love watching him play more than any other player but he obviously can’t control himself.”

Meanwhile, a goal by defender Diego Godin send Uruguay through to the last 16 with Costa Rica, and his winning header from a corner kick came just one minute after Suarez bit Chiellini.

Watch Juventus v Real Madrid; Conte Mindful Of Extraordinary Front-Line

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TURIN (Sporting Alert) — Juventus coach Antonio Conte enters Tuesday night’s Champions League Group B clash with Real Madrid at Juventus Stadium, mindful of the visitors’ “extraordinary, devastating front line.”

Juventus v Real Madrid 
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Real Madrid heads into the game already scoring 12 goals from their opening three group matches, including six against Galatasaray in the opening fixture and Conte believes his side must stop them from getting into their rhythm.

“I would call them devastating, especially if they are allowed to play the game they prefer,” Conte said.

“Cristiano Ronaldo, (Gareth) Bale, (Karim) Benzema, (Angel) Di Maria, to say but a few, are extraordinary, fantastic when they have the field in front of them and room to exploit, so we’ve got to be careful and do what we did in Madrid.

“We have to try to avoid the mistakes we made there, and try to hurt them, but we know we’re up against an extraordinarily strong attack.”

Real Madrid defeated Juventus 2-1 when they met earlier in the group and the Italian champions are hoping to return the favors on their turf.

Conte expects a classic in Turin.

“It’s an incredibly hard game against one of the top candidates to win the Champions League,” he said. “Juventus v Real Madrid is a classic, a very intriguing game.

“We need our fans both in the positive and not so positive moments because we’re up against a strong team and there will be times when we’re going to be up against it.”

Meanwhile, Real Madrid head coach Carlo Ancelotti echoed that his team’s free scoring makes them very dangerous, admitting that they are not out to do the Old Lady any favors.

“Everybody in the world knows how important the defensive work is, but we’ve scored 42 goals in 15 games, with an average of three goals a game,” Ancelotti said. “I think the three attackers I have are very interesting.”

He added: “It’s going to be an interesting game. Juve have more difficulties than us in the group – this is a chance for us to seal qualification and the sooner you get that, the better.”

In team news, for Juventus, defender Giorgio Chiellini is out suspended after he was sent off in the last fixture in Madrid, while Stephan Lichtsteiner and Mirko Vucinic are both still sidelined with thigh injuries. Carlos Tevez will again be partnered by Fernando Llorente in the home side’s attacking line.

For Real Madrid, Raphaël Varane has been confirmed as a starter, with either Pepe or Sergio Ramos partnering him at center-back. Full-back Fábio Coentrao is also out after suffering a left ankle sprain over the weekend.

Follow Juventus vs Genoa Live Score Updates

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TURIN (Sporting Alert) — Fernando Llorente continues to partner Carlos Tevez in the Juventus attack for today’s Italian Serie A clash with Genoa at Juventus Stadium.

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Llorente continues to get a run in the starting lineup and partner Tevez in attack in the absence of Mirko Vucinic, Fabio Quagliarella and Stephan Lichtsteiner, who are all still unavailable.

Andrea Pirlo, Paul Pogba, Kwadwo Asamoah and Arturo Vidal stay in midfield, with the three man backline includes Giorgio Chiellini, Andrea Barzagli and Leonardo Bonucci.

For Genoa, there is no Francesco Lodi in the starting lineup, with the forward named to the bench, with Italian forward Alberto Gilardino leading the lone-man attack.

However, Luca Antonelli starts in the midfield, following a long lay-off, while there is no Francelino Matuzalem.

Juventus: Buffon; Barzagli, Bonucci, Chiellini, Isla, Vidal, Pirlo, Pogba, Asamoah, Tevez, Llorente.
Subs: Rubinho, Storari, Cáceres, Ogbonna, De Ceglie, Peluso, Motta, Marchisio, Giovinco, Padoin.

Genoa: Perin; Manfredini, Portanova, Antonini, Vrsaljko, Kucka, Biondini,Marchese, Bertolacci, Antonelli, Gilardino.
Subs: Bizarri, Donnarumma, De Maio, Gamberini, Sampirisi, Stoian, Cofie, Fetfatzidis, Sturaro, Lodi, Centurion, Konate.

Inter Milan v Juventus Starting Teams, Live Score Updates

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MILAN (Sporting Alert) — The following are the starting lineup for today’s exiting early Italian Serie A clash between defending champions Juventus and Inter Milan at Stadio Giuseppe Meazza.

Inter Milan v Juventus Live Score Updates

Starting today for Juventus in the attack are Carlos Tevez and Mirko Vucinic, while the loaded midfield includes the talented and improving Paul Pogba and veteran maestro Andrea Pirlo.

Starting in the middle also are Kwadwo Asamoah, Arturo Vidal and Stephan Lichtsteiner, while the familiar three-man back has Giorgio Chiellini, Andrea Barzagli and Leonardo Bonucci.

Again, Sebastian Giovinco, Fernando Llorente and Fabio Quagliarella start on a very strong bench for Juventus.

Meanwhile, striker Rodrigo Palacio is feeling good and he leads the Inter Milan attack alongside Ricky Alvarez in the early top of the table clash here.

In midfield Saphir Taider has been handed the starting place ahead of Mateo Kovacic, with several players including Javier Zanetti and Cristian Chivu still not ready feature.

Diego Milito, back from injury, starts on the bench for Inter Milan, but could feature at some point during the game, if really needed.

Inter Milan: Handanovic; Campagnaro, Ranocchia, Juan Jesus; Jonathan, Guarin, Cambiasso, Taider, Nagatomo; Alvarez, Palacio
Subs: Castellazzi, Carrizo, Andreolli, Samuel, Pereira, Rolando, Kovacic, Kuzmanovic, Wallace, Belfodil, Icardi, Milito

Juventus: Buffon; Barzagli, Bonucci, Chiellini; Lichtsteiner, Vidal, Pirlo, Pogba, Asamoah; Tevez, Vucinic.
Subs: Storari, Citti, Ogbonna, De Ceglie, Peluso, Motta, Giovinco, Padoin, Isla, Llorente, Quagliarella

Serie A: Juventus vs Cagliari Starting Team and Live

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PARMA (Sporting Alert) — The following is the starting line-up for tonight’s Serie A clash between leaders Juventus FC and Cagliari at the Stadio Tardini.

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[liveblog]

Juventus will be going for a win that would put the defending champions 10-points clear at the top of the league table heading into the winter break.

Tonight sees manager Antonio Conte naming a strong starting line-up, with free-kick specialist Andrea Pirlo, forwards Arturo Vidal and  Fabio Quagliarella, midfielder  Kwadwo Asamoah and goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon all amongst the starters.

Paul Pogba and Mirko Vucinic both start on the substitutes bench, but captain Giorgio Chiellini is out with a calf injury.

Cagliari: Agazzi, Pisano, Ariaudo, Astori, Avelar, Dessena, Nainggolan, Ekdal, Cossu, Pinilla, Sau.
Subs: Avramov, Cossu Avelar, Nene, Perico, Casarini, Del Fabro

Juventus: Buffon, Caceres, Bonucci, Barzagli, Lichtsteiner, Vidal, Pirlo, Marchisio, Asamoah, Giovinco, Quagliarella.
Subs: Storari, Pogba, Vucinic, De Ceglie, Padoin, Giaccherini, Matri, Isla, Marrone, Rubinho

Juventus FC look to go ten clear with win over Cagliari: Live game coverage

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PARMA (Sporting Alert) — Juventus FC will look to extend its lead at the top of the Italian Serie A with a win over Cagliari at the Stadio Tardini here on Friday.

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Competition: Serie A
Date: December 21 2012
Game week: 18 Kick-off 13:45
VenueStadio Ennio Tardini (Parma)

The defending champions hold a seven point lead over Inter Milan in the table standings, after tallying 41 points from its 17 games played this season and could go ten clear with a victory.

Antonio Conte’s side has won 13 games already in the league and has scored 36 goals, the second highest in Serie A thus far this season and come Friday night, the leaders will hope to add to those stats.

However, Juventus will have to do so without leading defender and captain Giorgio Chiellini, who is injured and will miss the contest.

Chiellini is out with a calf injury, but Conte is confident his side is strong enough to cope without the Italian.

“It’s a shame Chiellini’s injured, he’s a player everyone would like to have for what he offers both on and off the field of play,” the boss told www.juventus.com.

“He’s one of our leaders but I’m convinced he’ll come back stronger than before, looking to recover as soon as possible with the help of the club’s medical staff.”

Also expected to be out is on-loan Arsenal forward Nicklas Bendtner, who is still recovering from a thigh strain.

Things haven’t been going so well for Cagliari after dropping four straight games to dip to 16th in the table standings heading into the game.

Cagliari head coach Ivo Pulga is expecting a tough game against Juventus, but is trying to work out a way to stop the champs.

“There is only one way to deal with Juventus and that is not to submit to them,” he told La Repubblica.

“If you hole up near your own goal sooner or later you will concede a goal. We have to play an open game and match them blow for blow.”

Cagliari will be without captain Daniele Conti, who will serve a one-match ban and fellow defender Sebastian Eriksson, who misses out because of injury.