Barcelona: Barcelona striker Luis Suarez said he has received professional help after receiving a four-month ban for biting an opponent for the third time in his career when he clashed with Italy’s Giorgio Chiellini at the World Cup.
Suarez made his debut for the Catalans in a 6-0 friendly win over Mexican side Club Leon on Monday, but will not be able to play a competitive game for Barca until late October after his appeal against the ban was thrown out by the Court of Arbitration for Sport last week.
“The suspension is what it is and I have to accept it, it is a personal matter but I have worked with the adequate professionals,” the Uruguayan said at his first press conference as a Barca player on Tuesday.
“I have tried to forget this game and this situation as well. It is a difficult moment for me and I would say to all the fans to not worry because I am not doing that anymore.”
Suarez was believed to have been a long-term target for Barca’s eternal rivals Real Madrid. However, Barca’s sporting vice-president Jordi Mestre said the player’s desire to come to Catalonia had allowed the club to negotiate a fee of €81 million (Dh396.4 million) with Liverpool, £10 million less than the player’s £75 million release clause.
“There were options from other teams, but when the option of Barca became clear I didn’t have any doubts because it was a dream for me,” added Suarez.
“I still can’t believe it. It is something I have dreamed about but I never imagined such a beautiful dream would come true.”
Suarez could even make his competitive debut against Madrid should their first clash of the season be scheduled for Saturday, October 25 or the following day and he is determined to ensure he is as fit as possible when that game comes around in case coach Luis Enrique calls on him to start.
“It’s not the same but I had a similar situation last year at Liverpool, I started to play on September 20. It is a long time but if you keep focused with your teammates in training it helps.”
Barcelona already have a wealth of talent available in attacking areas with four-time World Player of the Year Lionel Messi and Brazilian star Neymar, meaning Suarez is likely to be forced into a role on the right side of the attack.
However, he insisted that won’t phase him as he dovetailed with Daniel Sturridge last year to form a deadly partnership that nearly delivered Liverpool’s first Premier League title in 24 years.
“I am prepared to play any position in attack. This last year I played on the left and on the right because Sturridge played as the number nine. I don’t have any problem playing in any position and adapting myself to what the coach demands.
“The quality that Leo and Ney have is amazing, they are players you admire. Yesterday I was watching them in the first half and they make you want to stop and applaud.”
Barcelona sporting director Andoni Zubizaretta said that they would give him time to get used to his new surroundings.
“We will give him [Suarez] the time so that he can see he is integrating into the team and he will adapt to the team in training,” he said.
“He will get to know our style of play and with his quality he will help us. His teammates will get to know him and the idea is that when he returns, he does so at 100 per cent.”
Midfielder Andres Iniesta believes last season’s Premier League Player of the Year will not have any difficulty adapting to life alongside Messi and Neymar in attack.
“It is never easy when you come from another club, but, as I have said before, I think he will find a very healthy dressing room and I think he will adapt fine, because his talent is above everything else,” he said.
Despite his controversial past, which includes two previous bans for biting as well as a suspension by the English Football Association for racially abusing Manchester United defender Patrice Evra, Suarez was warmly received by the home fans as he made his entrance.
Earlier, Neymar and Messi made a telling impact in their first outings since their World Cup ended in a devastating back injury and defeat in the final respectively.
Messi headed the hosts in front inside three minutes from Neymar’s deflected cross.
The Brazilian striker then doubled Barca’s lead with a delightful chip from Andres Iniesta’s through ball before grabbing his second of the night when he back-heeled into an empty net two minutes before half-time.
Munir replaced Neymar at half-time and he tapped home the fourth goal when Dani Alves knocked Ivan Rakitic’s ball over the top into the 19-year-old’s path.
And moments after Suarez had made his entrance, Munir smashed home his second goal of the game with a powerful low finish before Sandro put the seal on a fine Barca performance in similar fashion a minute from time.
