Published 17:22 IST, October 12th 2020
Luis Suarez says he will make a 'statement' vs Barcelona IF he scores for Atletico Madrid
Atletico Madrid striker Luis Suarez has claimed that he will hit back at the Barcelona board if he goes on to score against his former club.
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Former Barcelona superstar Luis Suarez's six-season stint at the Camp Nou was brought to an abrupt end after the club decided to terminate his contract. The striker went on to join Spanish rivals Atletico Madrid on a two-season deal, finishing as the third-highest goalscorer in the history of Barcelona. Speaking on the humiliation by the Catalans, Suarez insists he will respond to his former club when he comes up against them in LaLiga.
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Suarez, family hurt by Barcelona
Speaking to ESPN, Suarez revealed that he was kept in the dark about his Barcelona exit. He further stated that he got to know of his exit only through media reports. The 33-year-old Uruguay international was reportedly deemed excess to requirements by new manager Ronald Koeman.
Suarez lashed out at the club, stating that Barcelona hurt him and his family deeply during the final days of the transfer window. The Uruguayan stated that the club did not bother informing him about his exit until Koeman called him 10 days after he already knew from the media reports. The striker insists that he always urged the club to sign a new striker who could compete with him, but Barcelona never paid heed to his request.
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Also Read | Luis Suarez's wife Sofia takes a sly dig at Barcelona after his stunning Atletico Madrid debut
Suarez insists he won't celebrate but will make his point known
After a fractured relationship with Barcelona, Suarez was asked if he would still celebrate after scoring against the Catalan giants with Atletico Madrid. The 33-year-old asserted that he wouldn't celebrate against Barcelona, but he would surely point somewhere to make his statement known to his former club.
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Suarez will come up against his former club for the first time at the Wanda Metropolitano on November 22. While it was earlier believed that Koeman lacked trust in Suarez's ability to partner Lionel Messi this season, the manager refuted those claims in an interview with NOS.
Also Read | Suarez makes history with 2 goals and assist on sensational Atletico Madrid debut: Watch
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Koeman insists Suarez should have proved him wrong
The Dutch tactician claims that it was well within Suarez's rights to decide his next move. Had he continued at Barcelona, he would be treated as just another member of the squad. Koeman claimed it could have been better for the former Liverpool man to prove the manager wrong.
Image courtesy: Luis Suarez Twitter
17:22 IST, October 12th 2020