Suarez's Aggressive Action: Biting Incident Stuns England
In the heated rivalry between Preston North End and Blackburn Rovers in the Second Division, tempers flared. During the chaos, Milutin Osmajic, a Preston player, sunk his teeth into his opponent. This action is set to result in serious consequences.
Following his act of biting, Milutin Osmajic, a 25-year-old footballer from Montenegro playing for Preston North End in the English Second Division, has been banned for eight games. The incident occurred during their Sept. 22 league match, which ended in a 0-0 draw. According to Blackburn coach John Eustace, Osmajic left a visible mark on Owen Beck's neck.
"Osmajic admitted to committing a violent act by biting an opponent during the 87th minute," the English Football Association (FA) declared. An independent disciplinary commission handed down the penalty following a hearing. More details will be released at a later date.
Chance for rematch?
In addition to the ban, Osmajic was fined £15,000 (roughly €18,000). Differently, Beck, on loan from Liverpool, was dismissed for a late tackle on an opponent. Earlier in the intense Lancashire derby, Preston player Sam Greenwood had also been dismissed.
Despite the ban, Osmajic and Beck could encounter each other once more this month. Osmajic is part of Montenegro's squad for their Nations League match against Wales on Oct. 14.
Biting incidents in football are not unheard of. Uruguayan national player Luis Suárez has gained notoriety for such actions. While playing for Ajax Amsterdam, he bit an opponent's shoulder, resulting in a seven-game suspension. In 2013, he was banned for ten games for biting a Chelsea player while representing Liverpool. Only a year later, FIFA handed him a four-month suspension for biting Italian Giorgio Chiellini's shoulder.
The ban imposed on Milutin Osmajic will prevent him from playing for Preston North End in the English Second Division for eight matches. Despite this, Osmajin might face Owen Beck, his opponent in the controversial incident, during Montenegro's Nations League match against Wales on October 14.
