Luis Suarez to hear CAS verdict on Thursday

Luis Suarez will learn on Thursday whether his four-month ban for biting Giorgio Chiellini at the World Cup has been reduced.

Suarez has taken his appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport, which has announced it will deliver its verdict at 3pm local time (3pm Irish time) tomorrow, having heard the case last week.

“The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) will announce its decision in the matter Luis Suarez, FC Barcelona & the Uruguayan FA on Thursday August 14th, 2014 at around 3pm. This case was heard on August 8th, 2014 at the CAS offices in Lausanne,” a statement said.

“At the request of the Appellants and with the agreement of Fifa, the CAS has conducted an expedited arbitration procedure. As a consequence, the CAS Panel has accepted to render its decision within a short period of time but with grounds to follow later.”

Suarez was sent home from the World Cup in disgrace after he bit the shoulder of Italy defender Chiellini and Fifa gave him a four-month ban from all football, a nine-match suspension from international matches, and a hefty fine.

It was the third time Suarez had been found guilty of biting an opponent in his career. While he was at Ajax, Suarez bit PSV Eindhoven's Otman Bakkal in November 2010, and while at Liverpool he bit Chelsea defender Branislav Ivanovic in April 2013.

However, this summer’s incident did not deter Barcelona from completing a €94 million deal to sign the 27-year-old from Liverpool after the World Cup.