Many Uruguayans defended Luis Suarez yesterday as the Liverpool striker faced a mounting storm after biting an opponent. On social networks and in the streets, the volatile striker’s compatriots played down the incident with Italy defender Giorgio Chiellini. Suarez bit Chiellini on the shoulder during Uruguay’s 1-0 win over Italy on Tuesday that took the team into the last 16. “It wasn’t a bite, it was a headbutt,” Uruguay fan Noelia Tabarez said. “We can only imagine what the other guy must have said to provoke him.” She was one of many to raise conspiracy theories over the incident. “He hit him with his tooth, but he didn’t bite him. The bite isn’t clear,” a caller to Radio Sport said. Meanwhile, Alcides Ghiggia, who scored Uruguay’s World Cup-winning goal in Rio in 1950, said Suarez, 27, needed help. “This boy’s clearly not right in the head. That’s just not something you do on the pitch,” he said.
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