Suarez has bitten Inter Miami team-mate Jordi Alba again during a brawl in the match against Los Angeles FC

Full article

Luis Suárez and another ‘almost bite’, this time on his own team-mate

Inter Miami never stops making news, and not just for what happens with the ball at his feet. This time, the protagonist was none other than Luis Suárez, who was once again at the centre of controversy for a gesture that took us back in time. Yes, we are talking about that old habit of the Uruguayan: biting. But this time, the most surprising thing is that the victim was not an opponent... but his own teammate, Jordi Alba.

It all happened during the Concacaf Champions Cup quarter-final between Inter Miami and Los Angeles FC. The Florida side, led by Lionel Messi - scorer of a brace - managed to come from behind after a difficult start to take the match 3-1. However, it was not the result or Leo's goals that stole the show, but the surreal action of Suarez in the final minutes of the game.

It was in the 89th minute when a brawl broke out in the middle of the pitch. A hot play, with pushing and shoving and grabbing in between, led to a moment that soon went viral. Amid the melee, the cameras caught Olivier Giroud grabbing Jordi Alba by the throat as Suarez came dangerously close to his team-mate. The slow-motion footage shows the Uruguayan striker's teeth very close to the Spanish full-back's arm - too close. Too close.

Was there a bite? Technically, no. Was there intent? That's where we get into the realm of opinion. While some experts suggest that Suárez was simply trying to calm the situation, others don't buy that version and see in his gesture a clear echo of his more controversial past. Because let's not forget that such actions are not new in the former Barça, Liverpool and Ajax player's history.

Suárez's ‘dental’ record

Luis Suárez has a long record that haunts him. It all started in 2010, when playing for Ajax he bit PSV's Otman Bakkal on the neck. That time, he received a seven-match ban. Just three years later, in the Premier League, he repeated the dose against Chelsea defender Branislav Ivanovic. The punishment: ten matches. And, as if that wasn't enough, in the middle of the 2014 World Cup in Brazil, he made the headlines again when he bit Italy's Giorgio Chiellini, which cost him four months away from all football activity.

Since then, Suárez had managed to put that behaviour behind him, focusing all eyes on his performance. But what happened against LAFC reopened a wound that had seemed closed. Although this time there was no official sanction or consequences, social media did not take long to do its job, viralising the moment and fuelling the debate.

While the image of Suárez went around the world, the Miami team continues its journey in the tournament, already installed in the Semi-Finals and with its sights set on the title. Messi, as always, was the star of the show, but the news of the day was something else. The unusual scene between two former Barça team-mates, now reunited in the American adventure, shows that at Inter Miami the show is guaranteed to be entertaining, for better and for worse.

It remains to be seen if this episode remains a curious anecdote or if it ends up generating some kind of internal repercussions. What is certain is that the past comes back when you least expect it, and Suárez, although he no longer bites... still shows his teeth.