At the beginning of the 2020-2021 season, Luis Suárez was forced to look for a new destination. Barcelona were heading towards reconstruction after another disappointing campaign, and the Uruguayan star was no longer a priority for the Cules. Time proved them wrong, as the striker played a key role in Atletico Madrid's La Liga triumph while Ronald Koeman's side finished third.
After the Colchoneros became the Spanish league champions last weekend thanks to one of his goals, El Pistolero has reflected on the fascinating campaign in which his move to Madrid worked out incredibly great.
Suárez had no intentions of leaving Barca, where he established himself as a world-class goalscorer and seemed comfortable playing alongside a friend like Lionel Messi, but the club's plans were different. With the Dutchman's arrival at the Camp Nou, Suárez was one of the first to be sidelined, and he shared his feelings about that moment.
Suárez remembers realizing that Koeman 'doesn't have a lot of character'
In the final stretch of La Liga, Luis Suárez stepped up to fire Atletico Madrid to a long-awaited title. In Matchday 37, his dramatic goal secured the three points against Osasuna and enabled his side to remain leaders ahead of the season finale. Then, he handed the victory over Valladolid that sealed Atleti's success and broke in tears once the game ended.
In an interview with El Partidazo de Cope, Suárez recalled everything he went through since he has been forced out of Barcelona and how he found his best form in Atletico again.
"I'll always be grateful to Barcelona because they've given me everything and allowed me to play at the elite level. But the president (Josep María Bartomeu) said everything to the press instead of calling me. When they wanted Leo (Messi) to stay, they called me to convince him. They also called me to talk to (Antoine) Griezmann... so why couldn't they have called me when they wanted me to leave?"
Suárez didn't hold anything back against current Barcelona boss Ronald Koeman, though, showing he is still hurt by how he was treated: "Then the coach (Koeman) came to tell me that he didn't have me in his plans because he wanted another No.9. But he said 'they told me to tell you'. After leaving me out for three games he then said 'if things aren't resolved, I'm going to count on you against Villarreal'. That's when I realized that he didn't have a lot of character. He wasn't a coach, it all came from above."
Suárez on Messi's future: "I'd be happy for him to stay in Barcelona"
The Uruguayan superstar has also spoken about how he struggled with his knee not only in his first days at Madrid but throughout the season as well, and all the efforts he's done to prove his worth before being crowned with Atleti. Moreover, he has also addressed his friend Lionel Messi's contract situation.
Barcelona's captain is set to become a free agent in the summer unless he agrees to a new deal, and his former teammate has wished the best for the Argentine world-renown player: "I'd be happy for him to stay, as a friend and as a fan. I'd love it, and I'd recommend that he continues at Barcelona."
