Tabárez confident Suárez will be fit for Copa America
The Uruguay manager has "high hopes" about the Barcelona forward's fitness ahead of next month's Copa América.
Uruguay head coach Óscar Tabárez is confident star forward Luis Suárez will be fit for the Copa América in Brazil.
Suárez, who scored 25 goals in all competitions this season, will miss Barcelona's Copa del Rey final against Valencia on Saturday after undergoing knee surgery.
The surgery put Suárez in doubt for next month's Copa América – with Uruguay set to open their campaign against Ecuador on June 16 – however Tabarez has "high hopes".
Tabárez on Suárez: "He's working well"
"I think yes, I hope so, he's working well," Tabárez told reporters when asked if Suárez will be fit for the tournament. "I can't give you details but he keeps us updated through videos and images.
"He's working on his recovery and I know the meaning Luis gives to these things, I know he'll give 100 per cent to be fit when the competition starts.
"I don't want to rush, injuries are always due to circumstances, not to the players' will, he's got his mind set on the recovery.
"He's very professional about it and he has a good record on it, so I have high hopes to have him ready on our team, he's very important to us."
Uruguay – who reached the 2018 World Cup quarter-finals – failed to progress beyond the group stage of the Copa América three years ago.
For the 2019 edition, Uruguay will face Ecuador, defending champions Chile and guests Japan in Group C.