Related News
Barca, Suarez move on from breakup
Print Edition
It was a difficult breakup for Luis Suarez and Barcelona.
Suarez had a hard time accepting that he was not wanted anymore. Barcelona worried it made the wrong decision by allowing him to join one of its rivals.
It didn鈥檛 take long for both sides to move on, though, and to start looking forward to life apart.
Suarez thrived in his debut with Atletico Madrid on Sunday, scoring twice in a 6-1 rout of Granada in the Spanish league and showing that he will be a good fit in Diego Simeone鈥檚 team. A few hours later, Barcelona had no problems scoring goals in a 4-0 defeat of Villarreal, performing well under new coach Ronald Koeman and seeing youngster Ansu Fati take over the team鈥檚 scoring role.
鈥淲e scored four times, that was very good, I think the whole impression of the team was very good,鈥 said Koeman, who wished Suarez 鈥渢he best of luck鈥 but was confident his team could do well without a true striker up front.
The Dutch coach told Suarez he wasn鈥檛 in his plans shortly after taking over following the team鈥檚 2-8 loss to Bayern Munich in the Champions League in August. He decided to rely on an attack led by Lionel Messi, Antoine Griezmann, Ousmane Dembele and the 17-year-old Fati.
鈥(Fati) showed that he has a great future ahead of him with Barcelona,鈥 Koeman said. 鈥淚 am very happy with him, he played a great match.鈥
Messi also scored for Barcelona in what was his first competitive match since being forced to stay after telling the club he wanted to leave. He had been among the players who criticized the Catalan club for the way it handled Suarez鈥檚 exit.
The 33-year-old Uruguay striker, Barcelona鈥檚 third all-time leading scorer, had an emotional farewell and said it was tough to accept Barcelona鈥檚 decision. But it didn鈥檛 take long for him to be smiling again, though, and he was thriving in an Atletico shirt only four days after being let go. 鈥淚t鈥檚 a feeling of happiness,鈥 Suarez said. 鈥淭he way the whole team welcomed me was crucial to give me confidence and tranquility, and that showed on the field.鈥
He needed only about 20 minutes off the bench to show that his partnership with Simeone鈥檚 team could be successful. He replaced Diego Costa in the 71st minute and quickly set up a goal and scored two others.
鈥淪uarez鈥檚 arrival allows us to keep growing as a club and as a team,鈥 Simeone said. 鈥淗is experience and his numbers will give us a greater attacking power.鈥
Suarez will be teaming up with the veteran Costa and youngster Joao Felix, who also scored in the rout of Granada as Atletico opened its league campaign.
鈥淭he more good players we have, the better,鈥 Felix said. 鈥淪uarez鈥檚 arrival is great for the team, is great for the club.鈥
Atletico鈥檚 next game is at promoted Huesca tomorrow, while Barcelona visits Celta Vigo on Thursday.
Real Madrid, coming off its first win of the season at Real Betis on Saturday, hosts winless Valladolid tomorrow.
- About Us
- |
- Terms of Use
- |
-
RSS - |
- Privacy Policy
- |
- Contact Us
- |
- Shanghai Call Center: 962288
- |
- Tip-off hotline: 52920043
- 娌狪CP璇侊細娌狪CP澶05050403鍙-1
- |
- 浜掕仈缃戞柊闂讳俊鎭湇鍔¤鍙瘉锛31120180004
- |
- 缃戠粶瑙嗗惉璁稿彲璇侊細0909346
- |
- 骞挎挱鐢佃鑺傜洰鍒朵綔璁稿彲璇侊細娌瓧绗354鍙
- |
- 澧炲肩數淇′笟鍔＄粡钀ヨ鍙瘉锛氭勃B2-20120012
Copyright 漏 1999- Shanghai Daily. All rights reserved.Preferably viewed with Internet Explorer 8 or newer browsers.
