Although stakes are high for the National Men’s Football Teams of Costa Rica and Uruguay as they match up later this afternoon at the Estadio Centenario in Montevideo, betting action on this rematch between World Cup foes has been mostly subdued. Most of the attention for this match is on star striker Luis Suarez of Uruguay, who has gained accolades for his unmatched football skills and infamy for his erratic behavior on the pitch.

 

Just hours before the match between La Sele and Los Charrúas, football website Goal.com published revelations by Suarez made to newspaper El Observador about his ongoing mental health treatment in the wake of an ugly World Cup incident. During a match against Italy, Suarez was:

 

caught sinking his teeth into Italy defender Giorgio Chiellini’s shoulder. That incident saw him handed a four-month suspension from all football, after he had been banned for 10 games for doing the same thing to Chelsea defender Branislav Ivanovic in a Premier League match against Chelsea in April 2013.

 

In statements made to El Observador, Suarez explained that he has been going through psychological counseling and has been getting support from the Barcelona F.C. Suarez will be a main concern for the Tico backline, and not so much because of his proclivity for biting defenders. Suarez is bound to test Costa Rica’s new defensive line of four players, unlike the catenaccio-like five (and sometimes six) men formation preferred by former coach Jorge Luis Pinto during the World Cup.

 

With regard to wagering action, Live Tips Portal published the following:

 

Uruguay [will] enter this match with revenge on their minds after falling in surprising fashion to Los Ticos in the summer World Cup. The hosts won’t be overestimating the visitors again, and the recent return of Luis Suarez and the growing form of their stern defence should mean enough for the hosts to claim the victory. As a result, back our principal sports betting tip for this friendly match on the outright win for Uruguay. This selection can currently be found at Betway at top odds of 1.65.

 

Look for Luis Suarez to use this match to get back into goalscoring form after a lengthy layoff due to a suspension. For him to score at anytime, Bet365 is offering the best odds at a solid 2.10.

 

Costa Rica is unlikely to park the bus early on during this match. Playmakers from La Sele today will include Celso Borges, Bryan Ruiz, Giancarlo González and Joel Campbell. David Ramirez and Alvaro Saborio round up the offensive, and they will be looking to score early. From a betting point of view, Costa Rica is arriving in Montevideo as an underdog team, which means that bettors who like to take on risk for a bigger payout may favor La Sele.