The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Suarez

  • Suarez given six-match ban for spitting incident

    Suarez given six-match ban for spitting incident

    Inter Miami forward Luis Suarez has been handed a six-match suspension for spitting at a Seattle Sounders’ staff member following his side’s 3-0 Leagues Cup final defeat.

    The incident happened shortly after the full-time whistle of the match on 31 August, following a melee involving both sets of players and sparked by the Uruguayan.

    Suarez grabbed Sounders midfielder Obed Vargas around the neck, before team-mate Sergio Busquets struck the Mexico international on the chin.

    Moments later, Suarez was involved in an altercation with Sounders director of security Gene Ramirez and was held back by team-mate Oscar Ustari before spitting in Ramirez’s face.

    Former Liverpool and Barcelona striker Suarez, 38, apologised for his behaviour in a statement on his Instagram account. 

    A statement from the Leagues Cup disciplinary committee said Suarez’s suspension would only apply to next year’s edition of the tournament, although Major League Soccer “reserves the right” to impose additional punishment.

    The Leagues Cup is a yearly tournament involving teams from the MLS and Mexico’s Liga MX.

    Suarez’s Inter Miami team-mates Sergio Busquets and Tomas Aviles have been suspended for two and three games respectively.

    Seattle coaching staff member Steven Lenhart has been suspended for five games.

    Suarez is no stranger to controversy having been involved in several incidents during his career.

    In 2011, when at Liverpool, Suarez was given an eight-match ban after being found guilty of racially abusing Manchester United full-back Patrice Evra.

    He also served bans for three separate biting incidents when playing for Ajax, Liverpool and Uruguay.

  • Barcelona 3-0 Liverpool: Messi, Suarez do the damage

    Luis Suarez struck against his former club, while Lionel Messi scored twice – including a stunning free-kick – as Barcelona beat Liverpool 3-0 at Camp Nou to seize the advantage in their Champions League semi-final tie.

    Suarez struck in the 26th minute as he timed his run perfectly, darting between Liverpool defenders Joel Matip and Virgil van Dijk to stab a Jordi Alba cross into the net.

    While Liverpool frequently threatened in a breathless encounter, Barcelona doubled their advantage with 15 minutes to play when Suarez hit the crossbar, only for the ball to rebound to Messi six yards out, who chested the ball down and tapped it home.

    Messi then added a simply superb third on 82 minutes, curling a trademark left-footed free-kick into the top corner.

    Mohamed Salah hit the post late on for Liverpool, but it was Messi and Suarez who stole the show to hand their team a huge advantage heading to Anfield for the second leg next week.

  • Suarez, Messi rekindling magic as favoured victims Celta await

    It took Barcelona forwards Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez time to adjust to the loss of their third musketeer Neymar.

    But they have since forged on as a fearsome double act more prolific than the combined efforts of most other teams in La Liga.

    With Messi the top-scorer in Spain’s top flight with 14 goals and Suarez joint-second on 11, only Sevilla, Levante and next opponents Celta Vigo have managed to score more than the deadly South American duo.

    Messi has come into his own in his last two outings, putting on an exhibition of free kick taking against Espanyol and ripping Levante apart in last week’s 5-0 thrashing, with a hat-trick and two assists.

    Suarez, who endured a long goal drought last season since after the departure of Neymar, has rediscovered the sharpness which led to him scoring a remarkable 40 league goals in the 2015/16 campaign.

    He broke the deadlock against Levante by volleying in a Messi cross and also struck against Espanyol, two of seven goals he has scored in his last six league outings, including a hat-trick against Real Madrid.

    “Luis and Leo are the best strike partnership in the world right now,” said Barca’s Gerard Pique last week.

    Read Also: Messi tips Neymar,Mbappe and Suarez for Ballon d’Or

    Barcelona’s Lionel Messi celebrates with Luis Suarez after scoring their fourth goal. Action Images via Reuters/Andrew Couldridge/File Photo

    “Luis has goals in his veins and we’ve already said everything about Leo. We have a lot of firepower up front,” said Pique.

    The strikers’ combined 25 goals, more than half of Barca’s haul this season, have helped lift the Catalans three points clear of Sevilla and Atletico Madrid at the top of the standings and five ahead of Real Madrid.

    Ernesto Valverde’s side will expect to preserve that gap after Saturday’s game with Celta, typically tough opponents at their Balaidos stadium but, who usually bring the best out of Barca, and particularly Messi and Suarez, at the Nou Camp.

    It was against Celta when Messi audaciously passed to Suarez to score from a penalty in a 6-1 thumping in 2016 in which the Uruguayan scored a hat-trick, while Messi struck twice in 5-0 thrashings of the Galicians in the league and Copa del Rey in the last two years.

    Even when Celta managed to hold Barca to a 2-2 draw at the Nou Camp last December, Messi and Suarez both scored.

    Celta sacked manager Antonio Mohamed earlier this season and have shown signs of improvement under Miguel Cardoso, rising to ninth in the standings.

    Second-placed Sevilla visit Leganes on Sunday, while Atletico Madrid, rocked by reports that Bayern Munich have paid the release clause of their World Cup winning defender Lucas Hernandez, host Espanyol on Saturday.

    Real Madrid could lose ground as they are playing Al Ain in the final of FIFA’s Club World Cup on Saturday.

  • Suarez: Iniesta a role model for every footballer

    Suarez: Iniesta a role model for every footballer

    Denis Suarez has revealed his deep admiration for Barcelona legend Andres Iniesta after the 22-year-old secured a return to Camp Nou.

    Barca exercised an option to bring the attacking midfielder back to Catalunya after he was sold to Villarreal last August following a loan spell with Sevilla.

    Having declared the move “a dream come true” when the signing was announced, Suarez spoke at his official presentation on Wednesday of his excitement at playing with Iniesta.

    “He is a role model for everyone in football and I’m so happy to be able to learn things from playing alongside him,” he said, before reflecting on his time with Villarreal and Sevilla.

    “I grew as a footballer during those experiences. At Sevilla my fitness and tactical awareness improved and I really enjoyed my time at Villarreal because they play a similar kind of football to Barcelona.”

    Iniesta is one of the most decorated players in football history, having won eight La Liga titles and four Champions League crowns.

    Suarez is hoping he too can get his hands on some silverware, as he did with Sevilla when he was part of the side that won the 2014-15 Europa League.

  • Suarez pleased to end goal drought

    Suarez pleased to end goal drought

    Luis Suarez admitted his relief after ending his four-week goal drought in Barcelona’s 5-2 Primera Division win at Athletic Bilbao on Sunday evening.

    After his free-scoring form for Liverpool last season many expected the 28-year-old to light up La Liga, but he has found goals harder to come by since his £75million move to Spain.

    It looked like being another frustrating day in a Barca shirt for Suarez when his header from two yards out was remarkably punched clear by Gorka Iraizoz, but in the 25th minute he finally had something to smile about.

    The Uruguay striker combined well with Lionel Messi on the right and then swept home a first-time shot from the edge of the box that gave Iraizoz no chance and put the visitors 2-0 up.

    “I wasn’t nervous,” said Suarez, who had not scored in La Liga since the 3-1 victory over champions Atletico Madrid on January 11. “(But) I was very worried because I am very self-critical and I worry when I can’t help the team with everything I have to offer.”

    On Iraizoz’s early save, the Barca frontman added on www.fcbarcelona.com: “That stop was amazing and I thought that that ball just didn’t want to go in.”

    Messi, an Oscar de Marcos own goal, Neymar and Pedro were also on the scoresheet for Luis Enrique’s side at San Mames.

    “We’re aware that in these kinds of matches the intensity should be maximum, because they press really well,” Suarez said. “So we knew we had to be very focused from the start.”

    Hopes of an Athletic fightback were dented in the 75th minute when defender Xabier Etxeita was shown a straight red card for nasty high tackle, with studs up, on Suarez. The 28-year-old went down clutching his knee, before hobbling off. He tried to carry on before being withdrawn after 80 minutes.

    The result lifted Luis Enrique’s side within a point of leaders Real Madrid, who were thrashed 4-0 at Atletico Madrid on Saturday afternoon.

    But the Barca coach was not getting carried away with his side’s title prospects.

    “During the season there will be better moments and worse moments for every team,” Enrique was quoted as saying at his post-match press conference.

    “I think the most consistent team is going to win this competition. We’ll have to wait until the last weekend or the penultimate weekend – maybe it’ll be decided like last year on the last day of season.

    “I’m not going to make strange predictions – there’s still a long way to go. There will be difficult moments along the way and we will have to overcome them.”

  • Suarez still good insists Jordi Alba

    Suarez still good insists Jordi Alba

    Jordi Alba is adamant that Luis Suarez was a good signing for Barcelona even if he has yet to replicate the form that saw him win the European Golden Shoe at Liverpool last season.

    The Uruguay international, 28, has scored just twice in La Liga since his return from suspension and again failed to find the net in the 3-2 win over Villarreal on Sunday.

    Nevertheless, Jordi Alba has stressed that Suarez still adds something to the team they were previously missing.

    “Perhaps Suarez is having a tough time finishing, but he was a very good signing and he gives us what we lacked,” the defender told the official Barcelona website.

    “We have several great attackers now and that makes a difference.

    “As the coach has said, our bench is very deep with excellent players and there are lots of options.”

    The Spain international then went on to hail his side’s hard-fought win over Villarreal at Camp Nou.

    “This wasn’t a game that we dominated as we usually do, it was much tougher than usual,” he added.

    “Villarreal hadn’t lost in 18 games, which means that they’re very good. The semi-finals of the Copa del Rey will be no easy task.”

    BetVernons Sign up today with BetVernons and get a £25 free bet welcome offer!

  • Suarez returns to Liverpool with a gift for Gerrard

    Suarez returns to Liverpool with a gift for Gerrard

    Luis Suarez made a surprise appearance at Liverpool’s Melwood training complex on Deadline Day – but he was only there to bid farewell to his former team-mates.

    The Uruguay striker, who made a £75m move to Barcelona earlier this summer, is understood to have returned to Liverpool’s training ground to collect some belongings.

    But he also brought a gift with him for his friend and former team-mate, Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard.

    A photo on Gerrard’s Instagram account shows him and the striker smiling and holding up a signed ‘Suarez 9’ Barcelona shirt.

    The image was accompanied by a message reading: “He is back bearing gifts. Emotional saying goodbye to the main man this morning. Best wishes to a phenomenal player.”

    Another image later appeared on Suarez’s Twitter account, showing him in a group pose with Gerrard and Liverpool defenders Glen Johnson and Jon Flanagan.

    The accompanying words read: “Today I could say goodbye to some friends, it was exciting to remember the good moments that we lived together.

    “Thank you for all the joy you gave me!!!!! Great picture with @glen—johnson, @jon—flan93 and Steven Gerrard!!!!”

     

  • Reds still hunting Suarez’s replacement

    Brendan Rodgers says Luis Suarez will be a friend of Liverpool for life but that he is keen to swiftly source a replacement for the forward.

    Uruguay international Suarez bagged 31 Premier League goals last term as Liverpool finished second, just two points behind champions Manchester City.

    Liverpool favourite Suarez was sold to Spanish giants Barcelona last month though, in a reported £75million deal, leaving a significant void in the club’s forward line.

    The Anfield outfit clearly missed the striker in a scrappy 2-1 win over Southampton on Sunday and while Rodgers revealed that Suarez had sent the team a message of support before the match, the Liverpool boss is keen to move on.

    “I think our ambitions here at Liverpool… they have to be bigger than one player. We’ve said that repeatedly,” he said.

    “Big clubs will lose players and our ambitions are bigger than Luis. He sent us a lovely text this morning, wishing us all the best and for his team-mates, and to start strong, which was a great gesture.

    “He is a friend now of Liverpool. He’s a good boy but he is gone. His heart is with Liverpool, he’ll always be Liverpool and it was a lovely touch.

    “[But] we look forward. We’re bigger than any one single player.

    “For us, I do still think we want another striker. That’s something that we will look at but that will depend on the availability of one. So we’ll search for that through to the end of the [transfer] window.”

    QPR striker Loic Remy almost joined Liverpool last month before reportedly failing a medical, while Paris Saint-Germain forward Edinson Cavani has also been linked a switch to Anfield

  • Arsenal lucky not to sign disrespectful Suarez –Campbell

    Former Arsenal defender Sol Campbell has slammed Goal 50 star Luis Suarez and says his old side are fortunate they failed in their attempt to sign the Uruguay striker last year.

    The north Londoners famously tabled a bid of €50 million plus €1 for the 27-year-old, but the frontman remained at Liverpool for another year before completing a big-money transfer to Barcelona this summer.

    “Mentality-wise he would not have been a good fit for Arsenal,” Campbell told Goal.

    “He has been caught [biting players] a few times now, including Brainslav Ivanovic. He has said he is sorry, but it is not a classy thing to do. He has done it on the biggest stage ever [at the World Cup] and for me it shows a lack of respect.

    “There are so many kids watching and billions of fans around the world. Maybe Barcelona can sort him out.”

    But Campbell, who won two Premier League titles at Arsenal during two spells at the club, did have words of praise for two other World Cup stars.

    On Chile hero Alexis Sanchez, who has recently signed for Arsenal, he said: “Alexis is definitely going to be a good signing. His dynamics are good, he knows where the goal and he has a fantastic balance.”

    On Colombia phenomenon James Rodriguez, who finished 6th in the Goal 50, Campbell remarked: “He is fantastic. He can shoot, read the game and find positions to utilise to score or put people in.”

  • Rodgers:´We can score goals´without Suarez

    Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers believes his team has plenty of goals in them post Luis Suarez.

    Suarez, who has joined Barcelona, scored 31 of his team’s 101 Premier League goals last season.

    Speaking after his side’s 1-0 win over Olympiacos on Sunday, Rodgers said he had already seen enough to be confident in his team’s attack.

    Raheem Sterling scored the only goal in Chicago, with Daniel Sturridge and new signing Lazar Markovic also starting.

    “I see it in the players that scored 70-odd goals last season. It’s very simple,” Rodgers told reporters.

    “Luis Suarez isn’t a Liverpool player so I don’t need to talk about or reference Luis Suarez.

    “I’ll just worry about the players I have, who showed in enough games last season and the season before, when we didn’t have Luis, that we can score goals. That won’t be an issue.”

    Rodgers said Sturridge, who scored 21 league goals in 2013-14, was ready to take another step up, while he praised Sterling and Markovic.

    “I’ve seen a difference in Daniel since he came back,” he said.

    “He has obviously got confidence from the World Cup and his season last year.

    “I think he’s ready to take on the mantle. He got 20-odd goals last season so he’s a striker of great value.

    “Markovic will only get better and better. He showed great strength when he burst through and hopefully later on when he picks up that speed and sharpness in his game, he’ll go on and finish that.

    “We’ve got good speed. Raheem Sterling is always a threat – he’s a joy to watch. I thought those three were really exciting.”

    Rodgers said he was delighted with his team’s progress, insisting the focus was still on fitness.

    “I was very pleased,” the Northern Irishman said.

    “In the first half we started the game very well, our passing was crisp and precise. We scored a very good goal and we looked a real threat at the top end of the field, both in combination play and on the counter-attack.

    “I was also very pleased with how we defended. We had good shape early in pre-season. We made changes in the game and the young players had some minutes on the field.

    “Some of our players who had only been back for a week or so got 45 to 60 minutes. Overall, I was delighted.”