The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) has fast-tracked Luis Suarez appeal against his four-month ban from FIFA which banned the striker from all football-related activity.

Suarez is set to appear before the CAS on August 8. That is when he and Barcelona will present their case.

The case against the Uruguayan international will be dealt with as an “express” hearing, with a decision being made just a few days after the player and his club complete their appeal.

Should the appeal be successful, Suarez could start training with his new Barcelona teammates as early as mid-August, but he still would not be able to compete in any matches.

There is a possibility that the former Liverpool striker could have his entire ban lifted. But the chances of that happening would be remote.

The CAS is an international quasi-judicial body that was established to settle any disputes related to sport. Its headquarters are located in Lausanne, which is a city in Romandy; the French-speaking part of Switzerland. And its courts are located in New York, Sydney and Lausanne.

Regardless of any decision by the CAS, Barcelona and its players continue to stand by their new striker.

Two weeks ago, Barcelona forward Pedro was quoted as saying: “He’ll be very welcome in Barcelona and the supporters will be behind him as soon as he starts playing and is giving his best for the team.

“I’m sure he will do well with Barca.”

Fellow teammate Gerard Pique hopes that Suarez will use his treatment as motivation for next season. “I expect that he, like anybody who has the possibility of having their work taken away from them, will be feeling rage,” Pique said.

“For the time being he has to wait,” added the Spain defender. “When he returns he will be full of desire to show that he is one of the best forwards on the planet.”