Biting and punching aren’t often seen on a football pitch, but there was extra spice between city rivals Atletico and Real Madrid on Tuesday evening.
With a place in the Champions League semi-finals at stake though, the atmosphere clearly got the better of some players. Real Madrid right back Dani Carvajal was clearly seen punching Atleti forward Mario Mandzukic in video footage of the match after a tussle between the pair – but the game’s big talking point was whether he bit him first.
Given the furore when Uruguay striker Luis Suarez sunk his teeth into Italy’s Giorgio Chiellini at the World Cup last summer, Carvajal would likely face a hefty ban if he too was found guilty.
We hardly need to remind you that Suarez was handed a nine match ban and a four month football ban from football related activities, which prompted Liverpool to finally sell their star player to Barca – with a delayed debut until his club suspension came to an end.
As you’d expect – whether guilty or innocent – Carvajal took to Twitter to deny the allegations being laid against him, despite the seemingly damning footage.
Viendo después del partido que se me acusa de morder a un jugador rival, quiero dejar claro que no he mordido a nadie, ni intento de ello.
— Dani Carvajal Ramos (@DaniCarvajal92) April 14, 2015
In English, this translates to: “Seeing after the match that I’ve been accused of biting a rival player, I want to make clear that I have not bitten anyone, nor attempted to do so.”
Carvajal and his team Real Madrid will be waiting anxiously for Mandzukic to speak out. If he corroborates the Spaniard’s story, Carvajal might well be cleared.
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