Luis Suárez: "Koeman? I haven’t spoken to him yet”
The Barcelona forward said he is not happy about his name being leaked: "It would be nice if the director responsible spoke directly with me."
Luis Suárez has spoken about the situation at Barcelona following the side’s 8-2 thrashing at the hands of Champions League finalists Bayern Munich and discussed his own future. The Uruguay forward has thrown a cat among the pigeons by openly criticizing the Camp Nou heirachy for leaking his name as one of a possible raft of players who could be on the market this summer as new Barça boss Ronald Koeman seeks to put his own stamp on the team.
Transfers: “There has been talk of some names that the president suggested, changes that could be made, but nobody has told me that they want to get rid of me. If that is what the club wants it would be nice if the director responsible for these decisions spoke directly with me. It’s better than leaking if I’m one of the players they want to leave. We’ll see what happens. I want what’s best for the club as well and right now my intention is to stay on but if the club decide I’m no longer wanted, I have no problem talking to those that decide. Koeman? I haven’t spoken to him yet.”
Bayern defeat: “When you lose like we lost in Lisbon then everybody is responsible. It’s not fair to single out one player. Sometimes people want to make it personal but I don’t think anyone can doubt my commitment to Barcelona. It was one of those days when everything went wrong. They were better than us and we couldn’t find a way to turn it around.”
Suárez: "I would accept a role as a back-up"
Future: “As long as the club wants me, I will continue to keep giving the best I can. I have always felt the support of everybody here since I arrived and that gives me strength. I would accept a role as a back-up, as I have always done during my career. Competition is always good and if the coach thinks that I have to start on the bench I don’t have any problem helping the team in whatever role I’m given. I can still give a lot to this club.”
Barça dressing room heavyweights: “I remember when Ajax knocked out Real Madrid and people said Kroos was finished, they wanted to retire Modric, they said Ramos was a disaster and all of a sudden all of their players were worthless. And then the following year they came back, they were suddenly phenomenal players again and part of a legendary team. I know only too well that when you lose people attack everybody and everything. I honestly feel that people lack a bit of consistency, patience and above all memory. When there a lack of understanding to explain things in depth people tend to look for the simplest explanation. And yes, I’m friends with Leo [Messi]. I’m proud to say so. On the pitch there are no friends, just teammates who are there to help each other but off the pitch I am luck to have such a wonderful person as Leo as a friend.”