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Suarez handed two-game ban after Barca-Espanyol tunnel brawl

Luis Suarez has been banned for two games by the Spanish Football Federation following an incident in the tunnel between the players of Barcelona and Espanyol.

The incident occurred following the first leg of the Copa del Rey last 16 clash on Wednesday between city rivals Barca and Espanyol, which the former won 4-1.

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It is alleged that Suarez, 28, used “offensive words” and those were attributed to him by the referee in his match notes.

Barcelona released a statement on its website saying they would appeal the ban and that it would only be for Copa del Rey matches.

“Barcelona will immediately proceed to appeal the ban. If the sanction holds up, Suarez would miss the return leg next Wednesday and a hypothetical first leg of the quarter-finals, should Barca qualify.”

The captain of Uruguay’s national team is no stranger to bans after previously facing three lengthy spells on the sidelines for biting opponents during games, the latest of which came in 2014 and resulted in a four-month ban by FIFA after he bit Italian defender Giorgio Chiellini while representing Uruguay at the World Cup in Brazil.

Suarez did not make his Barcelona debut until the end of October last season -- he moved from Liverpool in August 2014 for $109 million -- due to his ban. In his first season with the Catalan club Suarez won the La Liga, UEFA Champions League and Copa del Rey treble as he dazzled in a forward line alongside Lionel Messi and Neymar, scoring 25 goals in 43 games in 2014-15.

Follow @JPW_NBCSports