Minutes after participating in his first training session with his new (and old) teammates Between Miai, Luis Suárez was happy with this new challenge in his career that allowed him, on the verge of turning 37, to reunite with Lionel Messi and also with the Spanish Sergio Busquets and Jordi Alba, participants in the winningest Barcelona team in history. According to the Uruguayan, that reunion was one of the reasons that pushed him to take this step.
“We lived great moments together in the club we dreamed of. “One of the reasons I came was to meet them again”Suárez said in a press conference he offered after the preseason kickoff. “We are friends and we know each other very well on the field, we have a competitive DNA and we always want to win. We are ambitious and professional, we will try to teach these young people with great talent that age does not matter, but rather commitment and sacrifice.”he added.
The Uruguayan said that until recently he could not imagine sharing a squad again with his old teammates, with whom he lived for six seasons in the Catalan capital. “I thought Leo was going to finish his career in Barcelona, Sergio and Jordi too. But football is very changing. In 2018 we imagined retiring in Barcelona. “First I left, then they left behind me.”he detailed.
The Uruguayan national team’s all-time top scorer revealed that his compatriot Nicolás Lodeiro had been his main source of information regarding the universe of Major League Soccer (MLS) and daily life in the United States. “I spoke with Nico very often. One of the first times was in 2019, I already wanted to come at that time. But I still felt good about continuing in Europe and I was given the chance to join Atlético de Madrid. Then I returned to my country, then I went to Brazil. Now I was given the chance and I was excited that there were colleagues and friends”he claimed.
Suárez began a preseason this Saturday in which his team will play seven friendlies (the first will be on Friday, January 19 against the El Salvador team) before the start of the official competition in a season in which the Herons They will play four tournaments: the first game for points will be on Wednesday, February 21 against Real Salt Lake for the first date of the MLS.
“I am adapting to my teammates and the club, and I am happy with this new challenge in this new team that has objectives that excite me very much. Football is based on challenges that you have to meet. And this club offers me the possibility of winning an MLS, something it has never done,” said Suárez, who highlighted the importance of “Have a good preseason, get into a rhythm and be in good physical shape by February 21”.
The attacker was also excited about the possibility of playing the Copa América in the middle of the year in the United States. “I am a national team player and I always want to be there. I had the possibility of taking a step aside after the World Cup (in Qatar), but I felt good and felt that I could still help from wherever I could. Depending on my performance on the court, I will be there or not. Depending on how he is physically and in the game, The coach (Marcelo Bielsa) will see if I can contribute to the group from wherever it may be.”held.