Rodgers: The FA prejudiced Suarez panel's verdict

Luis Suarez faces the prospect of missing the last four games of this campaign and the first six of next season.

Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers criticized the Football Association yesterday for punishing the man rather than the incident after striker Luis Suarez was given a 10-game ban for biting Chelsea's Branislav Ivanovic.

The Uruguayan international accepted a charge of violent conduct following the incident in the 2-2 English Premier League draw at Anfield last Sunday.

After Suarez disputed the FA's view that it merited more than a three-game ban, an Independent Regulatory Commission met on Wednesday and added seven matches to the usual suspension.

Rodgers compared the punishment meted out to Suarez to two other biting incidents, including one involving England striker Jermain Defoe.

"It is the severity of the ban that has hurt most," Rodgers said. "That is something we are bitterly disappointed with - not so much the ban because everyone has seen it and Luis was very open and honest to know it was wrong.

"You can only compare it with similar incidents we've had. There have been two similar incidents both in 2006. One player (Defoe) received no ban and continued to be picked for the England team. The other player received a five-game ban. So when Luis receives a 10-game ban its hard to understand. I honestly believe the punishment has been made against the man and not the incident.

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