How Lionel Messi helped the struggling Luis Suarez to fit in well at Barcelona
Luis Suarez may have settled in well and good at Barcelona following his move to the Catalan club back in 2014, but speaking on Cope radio's 'El partido de las 12' programme, the Uruguayan international revealed how it was Lionel Messi’s idea that made the real impact for him.
Suarez, like all other strikers at Barcelona, had to initially play on the wings with Messi as the central forward. However, the decision didn’t work out for either Suarez or Barcelona, and it was equally evident in their results as they struggled in the early stages of the season.
“One day, I was in the ‘9’ position and Messi told me: ‘You stay there’. After that, the manager saw that we’d found a good solution and we tried it out,” said Suarez, insisting how Messi solved the problem for both the team and manager Luis Enrique.
“The fans are used to the tiki-taka, beautiful play, but football today is very even and you have to be more direct and stronger. Barcelona fans need to get used to suffering. I’m happy with my play because the team is playing well and I feel like I’m helping the team, whether it be with goals, assists or with my play, which the fans don’t take into account. I try to do whatever I can to help the team.”
Suarez's reason for rejecting Real Madrid
However, an offer from Barcelona was too tempting for Suarez to not consider, eventually making his switch from Liverpool for a staggering €81 million, rejected the offer placed by rivals Real Madrid.
"Real Madrid were very interested in me, but my dream was always to play for Barça. When I heard the name 'Barcelona', I didn't hesitate for a moment,” he was quoted saying by InsideSpanishFootball.
When asked if he would have every played for Real Madrid if he hadn’t signed for Barcelona, the 28-year-old answered saying, "You never know what can happen in football but luckily I stuck around for Barca, which was what I wanted. It was the fulfilment of a dream I had had for so long."
Being part of MSN is a privilege
Suarez is part of now, what is one of Europe’s most lethal trios, along with teammates Neymar and Lionel Messi, and the striker insists that they have made life easier for him.
“For me it is a privilege; it makes life easier for me, because in the other teams I have played in I felt an enormous responsibility. Being surrounded by such great players is a weight off,” he added.
Suarez also took the liberty to speak over the incident involving him and Italian defender Giorgio Chiellini in the 2014 FIFA World Cup, stating, “Biting Chiellini was the worst moment of my career. I shamed myself, my country, my wife and my children.”
“The bites were partly my fault by partly the provocation from Ivanovic and Chiellini. Players continue to provoke me, but I’m going to speak well. I’m more intelligent," he added. “I was treated no differently by FIFA than someone who tried to stab someone. I didn’t kill anyone.”