Under-fire Suarez gets Uruguay captain's support

The Uruguay captain has claimed that the racism controversy has been nothing more than a "football argument" and praised his countryman for staying true to his principles.

Suarez was found guilty of racially abusing Manchester United defender Patrice Evra earlier in the season, and was widely criticised again on Saturday for refusing to shake the France defender's hand in their first meeting since the incident.

"He has gone through a few months he did not deserve," Lugano said on his official website.

"Everyone in football knows it is a big circus. It's a football argument, and many false moralists and hypocrites have profited, and Luis is the only innocent party in this situation."