Luis Suarez credits wife for curing his ‘teething’ problem
- In his autobiography, Luis Suarez writes how wife Sofia Balbi talked him into seeking help despite his fear that he would lose his on-field aggression
Uruguay striker Luis Suarez became a household name when he bit Italy’s Giorgio Chiellini during a World Cup match in Brazil. After serving a four-month ban, he made his Barcelona debut on Saturday. So, how did he get over his rather compulsive habit of ‘gorging’ on opponents? In his autobiography, the footballer reveals his wife deserves the credit.
A repeat offender – he had bitten Chelsea defender Branislav Ivanovic in April this year, Suarez writes in ‘Crossing the Line: My Story’ that he had resisted help because he did not want to lose his aggression on the field and that cloud of failure had always hung over him. All of this changed after the World Cup shame.
Suarez and Sofia Balbi took a vacation to the countryside after returning from Brazil, he writes. The two had a long talk and the thought that their infant daughter Delfina would grow up to watch the videos of the incident tormented the player.
In the book, the 27-year-old further elaborates that Sofia wanted him to think about the biting incident and get more control over his thoughts while playing. Suarez, however, also writes that none of his actions were intentional but he regrets each episode.
“The pulse is racing and sometimes the brain doesn’t keep up,” News.co.au quoted him as saying recently. “Logic doesn’t come into it.” That he knew every eye and most cameras in the stadium would have seen him bite his opponent never came to him. Suarez instead says that in the heat of the moment, all he wanted to do was score. While Uruguay eventually won the match against Italy, life turned upside down for the player. Suarez however believes he has come a long way and that he is a more controlled player on the field – a person Sofia and Delfina can be proud of.
