If not for recently testing positive for COVID-19, Luis Suarez would have been preparing to lead the line for Atletico Madrid against his old club, Barcelona, this weekend.
Suarez left Camp Nou after being told he was surplus to requirements by new coach Ronald Koeman. According to Esport 3 and carried by Diario Sport, however, Suarez had asked the club for a new four-year contract before leaving.
The deal would have taken Suarez up to 37, something that the Camp Nou hierarchy didn’t deem worthwhile given the Uruguayan’s level of performance in his final season in Catalonia.
Suarez and Barcelona instead came to an agreement where they terminated his contract a year early to enable him to sign for Atleti, despite the fact that he remains the third top scorer in the club’s history.
The Uruguayan has started quickly at his new club, grabbing a brace on his debut and five goals from his first nine games.
Suarez has combined this with strong form for his country, scoring his 63rd international goal in Uruguay’s 3-0 defeat of Colombia in Barranquilla last week and overtaking Ronaldo Nazario in terms of international goals scored.
El Pistolero had been written off by many at Camp Nou as being past his best but has looked revitalised since joining Diego Simeone‘s potent combination of grit and guile in the Spanish capital.
Atleti have been tipped by many to be the best-placed to challenge for the LaLiga title this season. Los Rojiblancos currently sit third, three points off Real Sociedad in first but with two games in hand.
Featured image courtesy of FC Barcelona.
