LAUSANNE, Switzerland (AP) — Luis Suarez's appeal of his FIFA ban for biting an opponent at the World Cup will be decided next week.

The Uruguay and Barcelona forward attended a six-hour hearing Friday before the Court of Arbitration for Sport and gave a statement to the court.

He is trying to persuade a three-person panel to reduce his ban of four months from all soccer activity, along with nine Uruguay matches in official competitions.

The panel "informed the parties that it will issue its decision as soon as possible, probably before the end of next week."

Barcelona begins the Spanish league season in two weeks. FIFA lawyers earlier declined comment on the case.

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