Luis Suarez has admitted for the first time that he deliberately bit Italy defender Giorgio Chiellini during the World Cup and has apologised for his actions. 

The Liverpool striker issued a statement on his Twitter feed after having time to "regain my calm and reflect about the reality of what occurred". 

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The Uruguay striker wrote: "Independent from the fallout and the contradicting declarations that have surfaced during these past days, all of which have been without the intention of interfering with the good performance of my national team, the truth is that my colleague Giorgio Chiellini suffered the physical result of a bite in the collusion he suffered with me". 

Suarez went on to bullet point his stance:

I deeply regret what occurred

I apologise to Gieogio Chiellini and the entire football family

I vow to the public that there will never be another incident like this

Video: Suarez apologises for Chiellini bite

The admission of guilt, which was entitled "My apologies to Chiellini", comes after he was found guilty by Fifa and given a four-month ban from all football, a suspension that includes playing club football. 

Suarez's statement also shows that he lied in his submission to Fifa as part of the hearing over the incident.  He told football's governing body: "After the impact I lost my balance, that destabilised me and I fell on top of my opponent.  At this moment I hit my face against the player leaving a small bruise on my cheek and a strong pain in my teeth and that’s why the referee stopped the match.  That is what happened and in no way was there any case of biting or intending to bite." 

The seven-man disciplinary panel rightly dismissed his arguments and imposed the four-month ban from all football activity, plus nine international matches and a SFr100,000 (£65,000) fine. 

The panel’s ruling stated: “The commission took into account that the offence was made directly against a player while the ball was not in dispute and that the offence was deliberate and intentional and without provocation.  He bit the player with the intention of wounding him or at least of destabilising him. 

Suarez left the World Cup in Brazil and returned to Uruguay, where he has mostly received a hero’s welcome.  Among those to back him in his homeland include the The Uruguayan president, Jose Mujica, who labelled Fifa as "a bunch of old b******s". 

However others, including sponsors, have looked to distance themselves from the former Ajax player who was found guilty twice before of biting opponents. 

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His admission of guilt might be designed to try and have the ban against him - which has been described as excessive by some, including Chiellini himself - reduced. 

The Italian quickly responded to Suarez's statement today, tweeting himself that the incident was "all forgotten". 

As it stands he will miss 13 Liverpool matches, including nine Premier League games. 

Since departing the World Cup Suarez has been strongly linked with a move to Barcelona with the Catalan side reportedly set to launch an official bid this week.  Any reduction in the severity of his suspension would likely ease any move away from Anfield. 

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