You'll have plenty to celebrate when you subscribe to the Liverpool FC newsletter Sign me up Thank you for subscribing We have more newsletters Show me See our privacy notice Invalid Email

After the torrent of criticism and disgust at his conduct, there has been a show of sympathy for Luis Suarez in the wake of FIFA’s four-month worldwide ban.

The international players’ union, FIFPro, has questioned the severity of the unprecedented punishment and rightly pointed out that the commission should have ensured that “rehabilitation and serious treatment” was part of the sanctions imposed on the striker.

Giorgio Chiellini, the Italian defender who Suarez sunk his teeth into in the Group D clash in Natal on Tuesday afternoon, has branded the suspension “excessive”. Chiellini added: “I sincerely hope that he will be allowed, at least, to stay close to his teammates during the games because such a ban is really alienating for a player.”

Argentina legend Diego Maradona appeared on Brazilian TV wearing a T-shirt which read ‘Luisito Estamos Con Vos’ (Little Luis We Are With You) and claimed that Suarez had been “crucified” by FIFA.

Whether any of this will have any influence on the appeals process only time will tell, but the major worry for Liverpool is that they are at the mercy of the Uruguayan Football Association.

The Reds find themselves in uncharted territory – on the outside looking in on a disciplinary process which has huge implications for the club.

No wonder Liverpool have sought legal advice over where they stand after being informed only Uruguay could appeal – despite the threat of Suarez sitting out 13 Liverpool matches.

Even if the appeal is thrown out by FIFA, the saga will rumble on with his national federation having already vowed to challenge the judgement at the Court of Arbitration for Sport in Switzerland. The Reds can only hope that Uruguay’s confrontational approach softens.

For starters, they need to ditch all this rubbish about witch-hunts and conspiracies. When the president of the country, Jose Mujica, is bemoaning the fact that video evidence was used rather than criticising Suarez’s conduct there is something seriously wrong.

His grandmother should be reading him the riot act rather than labelling the decision to throw him out of the World Cup as “barbaric”.

Liverpool desperately need a genuine show of contrition if that ban is going to be reduced. Rather than fill his head with nonsense about how the world is out to get him, those closest to Suarez need to stop telling him what he wants to hear and instead give him some truths.

Yes, FIFA’s disciplinary procedures are riddled with inconsistencies. Yes, others have inflicted much greater damage on opponents and been treated more leniently. Yes, FIFA appear decidedly less interested in clamping down on corruption and racism.

But no matter what arguments are put forward the bottom line is that Suarez has bitten a fellow professional three times. He’s not the victim here.

Suarez needs to front up and seek the professional psychological help he clearly needs. He let down everyone at Liverpool who has stood by him with his disgraceful conduct this week. The Reds can only sit and wait to see how this pans out.

But in the meantime an apology from Suarez is long overdue.

Sakho lucky to get away with elbow

Liverpool FC defender Mamadou Sakho was the luckiest man in Brazil this week.

The France international appeared destined to be handed a retrospective suspension after his swinging elbow on Ecuador’s Oswaldo Minda went unseen by Ivorian referee Noumandiez Doue.

Yet after a nervy 24-hour wait it was revealed that FIFA will take no further action.

Sakho, who has been hampered by a thigh problem during the group stage of the World Cup, will be available for Monday’s last 16 showdown with Nigeria in Brasilia.

The £15million centre-back had pleaded his innocence post-match, saying: “By jumping, it makes me nudge him.

“I always play to respect the opposition. It (the elbow) was to protect me.

“I’m not there to do bad things or to hurt people.”

Sakho’s elbow in the early stages of Thursday’s game happened to coincide with when FIFA’s disciplinary commission were meeting to decide on Luis Suarez’s punishment.

With the lengthy discussions about how best to deal with the Uruguayan, Sakho’s transgression appears to have gone under the radar.

Luis has departed Anfield – Alberto that is

With all the focus on his namesake, Luis Alberto’s departure from Liverpool went largely unnoticed this week.

The young Spaniard will spend the 2014-15 campaign back in his homeland after agreeing a season-long loan move to Malaga.

The hope is that Alberto will get the game-time which he wasn’t able to secure during a desperately disappointing first year at Anfield.

Hopes were high when Liverpool paid Sevilla £7million for the attacking midfielder’s services. Alberto had enjoyed a successful season on loan at Barcelona where he impressed for their B team.

Liverpool were anxiously waiting to discover whether Barca would exercise their option to buy and when they didn’t the Reds swooped.

Sadly, Alberto’s contribution was virtually non-existent in the 2013-14 campaign with just two starts and 10 substitute appearances all season.

He didn’t even make the bench between mid-February and mid-April.

Some fans will argue he wasn’t given the chance to impress but that’s rubbish. He had that opportunity at Melwood on a daily basis in front of Brendan Rodgers and didn’t take it.

Alberto’s Anfield career isn’t over.

He could yet force his way back into Rodgers’s plans but he faces an uphill battle to prove his worth.

5Times show they’re good for the heart

Liverpool Former Players Association – 5Times – has donated £5,000 cheques to both the British Heart Foundation and the Walton Centre.

Kop legends Dave Fairclough, Alan Kennedy and Ian Callaghan were on hand to present the cash at Anfield this week.

They are the latest charities to benefit from the great work of the association which holds fundraising events throughout the year.

The next event is in Belfast with Jamie Carragher, Luis Garcia and Didi Hamann on August 21. Fans can quiz John Barnes, John Aldridge and Hamann in London on September 11, while Robbie Fowler, Ronnie Whelan and Jason McAteer are the special guests for a night in Newport on September 18. For ticket details go to the website www.5times.co.uk

For all the latest Liverpool FC news, click here