Luis Suarez joins Barcelona: Club president 'convinced' Suarez ban for biting will be reduced despite Fifa rejecting his appeal after he secures £75m move

Suarez cannot play or train until the end of October, but Josep Bartomeu believes the Court of Arbitration for Sport will reduce the saction

Luis Suarez has officially joined Barcelona for £75m (Barcelona FC)

Barcelona president Josep Bartomeu is “convinced” that new £75m signing Luis Suarez will have his four-month ban for biting reduced, despite Fifa rejecting his appeal and upholding the ban that will keep him away from football until the end of October.

Suarez will take his appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) along with backing from his lawyer and the Uruguayan FA, but that has not stopped him agreeing to join Barcelona in a £75m deal that was announced in principle on Friday.

He could become a Barcelona player some point next week, and Bartomeu has told the Catalan’s official website that he believes the unprecedented ban will be reduced, as well as promising to help reintegrate the troubled striker in to the football community.

“We are supporting the appeal being made by the Uruguayan Federation to the CAS and are convinced that FIFA’s initial sanction will be reduced,” said Bartomeu.

“He recognised his mistake and Barça will be making sure he successfully reintegrates into the football world.”

The club president went on to predict that Suarez would become a key player for the team, and that the La Liga club will do everything they can to ensure his desire to win is maintained in the right tone – and not by biting opposite players.

“Suárez will bring his top qualities as a footballer, with goals and the desire to compete and win,” Bartomeu added.

“We’ll all help him and his family to adapt quickly to Barcelona and the team.”

Suarez has been spending time at home in Uruguay

Moving away from Suarez, Bartomeu was keen to stress that Barcelona’s summer recruitment drive will continue despite the £75m move for Suarez, having already signed goalkeeping duo Marc-Andre ter Stegen from Borussia Monchengladbach and Claudio Bravo from Real Sociedad.

He stressed that new manager Luis Enrique will look to strengthen the defence, following the retirement of club legend Carlos Puyol at the end of last season, while the future of Dani Alves remains uncertain amid interest from Paris Saint Germain.

“We are focusing our efforts on finding what the coaches need, which as you know still means we have to sign some new players,” he said. “Probably in defence.

“The end of the World Cup will clearly revitalise the market. A lot of teams have been waiting until now to make their signings. Everybody was sure that that their players values could change in Brazil.”