Luis Suárez: “Madrid wanted me in 2014... Benzema was going to Arsenal”

For a fleeting moment, there was a very slight chance that we could have seen Luis Suárez unveiled by Real Madrid during the summer of 2014. The Uruguayan was in his prime after four great seasons at Liverpool, scoring 82 goals in 133 games. That scintillating form attracted a number of clubs in Europe - among them, Real Madrid and Barcelona. In the end it was the Blaugranas who won his signature, teaming him up with Lionel Messi and Neymar to form one of the most exciting frontlines in living memory.

Benzema a Gunner?

The 37-year-old striker says it could have ended up very differently. “My representative spoke with Madrid,” he revealed in an interview with DelSol program La Mesa. “Before the 2014 World Cup, Real Madrid wanted to sign me and everything was going in the right direction... They were thinking about selling Benzema to Arsenal, everything was already done”. Benzema, who signed for Madrid in 2009, initially struggled to get into his stride in Spain - very much in Cristiano’s shadow, he contributed just eight goals in his debut season and 15 in the following one. It was only years later, when he established himself as one of the main figures within the team.

Suárez explained that he felt more attracted to Barcelona because when he had a Barça kit when he was a child. “When the World Cup started, Barça entered the race, and obviously I preferred Barça. After the biting incident, Madrid lost interest and withdrew a little. Barça seemed more appealing to me... In the end I had both options and I chose Barça because it was my dream,” the forward told La Mesa.

The Inter Miami forward says he is house-hunting in Miami but otherwise, completely settled in the city. ”It’s a nice place to live - really nice place to enjoy with the family, with the kids. There’s lots to do - things that maybe would not be possible in other places. Here, you can go about your business in peace. There’s no need to cover yourself up and try to be inconspicuous. I haven’t had any problems. If you go to central Miami or go shopping or anywhere where there is a lot of people, then you are going to get noticed or approached but here by the beach and the places we go walking with the kids it’s relaxed and without any problems at all”.

The biting incident he referred to took place during the Round of 16 match between Uruguay and Italy at the 2014 World Cup. With 12 minutes minute, and the score locked at 0-0, Suárez sank his teeth into Giorgio Chiellini’s shoulder. Chiellini said afterwards that his attacker should have been sent off. Suárez later issued an apology but was punished by FIFA’s Disciplinary Committee, with a four-month suspension, a nine-game international ban and fined 100,000 Swiss francs.