Tag: Luis Suarez

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LUIS SUAREZ SCORES, ASSISTS AS ATLETICO MADRID BEAT BARCELONA

Luis Suarez heaped more misery on his former club Barcelona as he helped Atletico Madrid claim a 2-0 victory over the Catalans on Saturday.

The striker contributed a goal and an assist to mount pressure on Barca coach Ronald Koeman heading into the international break.

The former Barca man set up Thomas Lemar for the opener, and the Frenchman returned the favour, as Suarez sealed the victory for the reigning LaLiga champions but was stoic in the aftermath of his goal.

“I knew [I wouldn’t celebrate] out of respect, out of affection, for being a Barca fan, for the time I spent at Barcelona, for the moment my ex-teammates are going through, the fans too — it’s difficult,” Suarez said after the match. “It’s respect.”

The Uruguay international did, however, gesture as if he were making a phone call after scoring. After the match, he was asked what that was in reference to.

“So people know that I still have the same number and keep using the telephone,” he said jokingly, before being questioned about whether it was directed at Koeman, the man who effectively pushed him out of Barcelona a year ago. “No, no, no, not at all. If he wants to take it personally … No, I’d agreed with my kids as a joke that I’d do that.”

Atletico move up to second place behind leaders Real Madrid, while Barcelona remain ninth after back-to-back defeats in all competitions.

Before the game, Barca president Joan Laporta made the surprise move to announce Koeman’s job at the club is safe despite a terrible run of form.

“I’ve asked the club to make it clear on the coach’s position because it’s very important for the confidence of the coach, that the dressing room knows what it is,” Koeman said after the match. “The president has taken the decision, made it clear to everyone … but I know we’re Barca, and we have to win games.”

The public backing did not improve matters on the pitch, as Atletico took the lead after 23 minutes when Lemar was on the end of Suarez’s pass to score.

The goal led to a visible argument between Barca stalwarts Gerard Pique and Sergio Busquets.

The hosts grabbed a second on the stroke of half-time with Suarez finishing off a fantastic counter attack.

Barca improved in the second half but were unable to score.

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UCL: SUAREZ SCORES PENALTY AS ATLETICO RALLY TO LATE WIN AT AC MILAN

Luis Suarez’s last-gasp penalty gave Atletico Madrid a 2-1 comeback win on Tuesday at AC Milan, who failed to hold on to their early lead after playing for an hour with 10-men.

Seven-time European champions Milan thought they were on for their first Champions League win since 2013 when Rafael Leao opened the scoring with 19 minutes gone in the Group B clash at the San Siro, but Antoine Griezmann struck with a superb volley with six minutes left to level the scores before Suarez’s stoppage-time spot-kick broke Milan hearts.

Diego Simeone’s side sit second in the group on four points, two behind Liverpool, after the win which looked unlikely util Franck Kessie was sent off in the 30th minute for a second bookable offence.

Milan were on top until then, snappy in the tackle and on top of Atleti every time the away side had the ball, but sit bottom with zero points following their second successive defeat.

Brahim Diaz was at the heart of Milan’s attacking play and should have had a fine assist to his name in the 19th minute when he sent Ante Rebic through on goal, only for the Croatia forward to put his finish too close to the onrushing Jan Oblak.

Diaz was involved again when the hosts took the lead a minute later through Leao, who following neat footwork in the box from his Spanish teammate arrowed a perfect low shot into the opposite corner of Oblak’s goal.

Milan looked comfortable against an underwhelming Atleti but Kessie handed their opponents a lifeline when having already been booked, arrived late into a challenge on Koke and was sent off.

Despite the man disadvantage Milan held their own and Leao came close to doubling their lead in the most spectacular of fashions, crashing a 38th-minute bicycle kick off the bar from the edge of the area before being flagged for the tightest of offsides.

However Atleti slowly began to force Milan back into their own area and Luis Suarez had two great chances to level the scores either side of the break, first volleying wide on the stroke of half-time and then heading Joao Felix’s pinpoint cross the wrong side off the upright in the 54th minute.

Milan held on resolutely and looked to be on their way to victory until Griezmann met Renan Lodi’s knock back with a beautifully-timed volley which left Mike Maignan with no chance.

The home fans carpeted the San Siro air with whistles, but with the clock ticking down Pierre Kalulu was judged to have handled in the area after a VAR check, and Suarez did the rest to earn Atletico a precious win.

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Suarez double gives Atletico win at Getafe in Spain

It was the 20th straight match without a loss against Getafe, which hadn’t scored since its last victory against Atletico in 2011.

Luis Suarez needed a little more than 10 minutes to make up for his slow start to the season.

Suarez scored two late goals to give Atletico Madrid a 2-1 win at Getafe in the Spanish league on Tuesday, ending the team’s two-match winless streak and extending a decade-long unbeaten run against its Madrid rival.

After scoring only once in his first six matches this season, Suarez got the equalizer in the 78th minute and the winner in the 90th to boost Atletico after two 0-0 draws.

Luis Suarez needed a little more than 10 minutes to make up for his slow start to the season.

Suarez scored two late goals to give Atletico Madrid a 2-1 win at Getafe in the Spanish league on Tuesday, ending the team’s two-match winless streak and extending a decade-long unbeaten run against its Madrid rival.

After scoring only once in his first six matches this season, Suarez got the equalizer in the 78th minute and the winner in the 90th to boost Atletico after two 0-0 draws.

“A comeback win like this, with the team trailing late, will help boost the team’s morale,” Suarez said.

“We know we have to fix a few things. We have to keep improving.”

It was the 20th straight match without a loss against Getafe, which hadn’t scored since its last victory against Atletico in 2011.

Getafe played with 10 men from the 74th because of a red card shown to midfielder Carles Alena. It had opened the scoring with a header by Stefan Mitrovic late in the first half for his first goal since joining the club this season.

The victory moved Atletico back to the top of the league with 14 points, one more than Real Madrid which hosts promoted Mallorca on Wednesday.

Second-to-last Getafe remained one of the two teams yet to earn points in the league this season, along with Alaves.

“It’s frustrating to leave without any reward after we played a great match,” Getafe defender Jorge Cuenca said.
The hosts allowed Atletico to take full control of the match after Alena was sent off for a foul from behind on Atletico forward Matheus Cunha.

After missing a few good chances and hitting the crossbar, Suarez evened the match four minutes after the red card for Alena with a left-footed shot from inside the area. He netted the winner with a close-range header for his third goal of the season. The Uruguay striker, who joined from Barcelona, was Atletico’s top scorer in its title-winning campaign last season.

Antoine Griezmann started for Atletico after being on the bench against Porto last week. He was replaced by Cunha in the 67th after another lackluster performance.

Atletico was without Portugal forward Joao Felix. He was handed a two-match suspension after earning a red card- a yellow for a foul and a red for then complaining to the referee- in the draw against Bilbao on Saturday.

Mexican forward Jose Juan Macias made his first league start for Getafe.

FALCAO’S WINNER

Newly signed forward Radamel Falcao scored his second goal of the season with a header in the sixth minute of stoppage time to give Rayo Vallecano a 2-1 win at Athletic Bilbao.

Falcao had scored his first goal after coming off the bench in his debut with Rayo last Saturday.
The 35-year-old Colombia veteran signed with Rayo as a free agent.

CELTA’S FIRST WIN

Celta Vigo won 2-0 at Levante for its first victory of the season with goals from Iago Aspas in the 66th and Brais Mendez in the 85th.

Roger Marti missed a 71st-minute penalty kick for Levante, which has lost twice and drawn four games. (AP)

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SUAREZ SCORES LATE WINNER AS ATLETICO BEAT OSASUNA TO MOVE CLOSER TO LA LIGA TITLE

Atletico Madrid took a giant step towards the La Liga title in dramatic circumstances by fighting their way back to beat Osasuna 2-1 at home on Sunday thanks to a late strike from Luis Suarez.

Atletico dominated the game and hit the woodwork twice in the first half before having two goals ruled out for offside but fell behind in the 76th minute when a bullet header from Ante Budimir crossed the line before Jan Oblak could punch it away.

Atletico hit back with an emphatic finish from substitute Renan Lodi in the 82nd minute while top scorer Suarez completed the comeback by firing home from inside the area in the 88th.

Diego Simeone’s side nearly conceded an equaliser deep into added time though when Chimy Avila caught sight of goal but Oblak got across to parry before grabbing the ball with both hands.

The victory took Atletico on to 83 points after 37 games, two ahead of second-placed Real Madrid who won 1-0 at Athletic Bilbao.

Atletico visit Real Valladolid on the final day of the season next Sunday while Real host Villarreal.

As they had done in Wednesday’s 2-1 win over Real Sociedad, Atletico came flying out of the blocks in search of a goal to put their minds at ease.

Defender Mario Hermoso even tried his luck from his own half in the opening minutes but failed to catch out Osasuna keeper Sergio Herrera, who comfortably saved from Yannick Carrasco moments later.

Atletico’s first clear chance fell to Suarez but the Uruguayan scuffed his shot inside the area and Herrera saved well. Suarez then wasted an even more glaring effort, hitting the post from only a few metres out with Herrera beaten.

The visiting keeper made his fourth save in the first half to keep out a shot from Angel Correa while he was beaten by a long range strike from Saul Niguez but the shot kissed the outside of the post.

Atletico continued to search hungrily for an opening in the second half but the nerves seemed to be setting in and they could not keep their composure in front of goal.

They did manage to find the net when Stefan Savic knocked in a free kick but the goal was ruled out for offside while Carrasco also netted a few minutes later only to have his effort chalked off.

The title looked to be slipping from Atletico’s fingers when Croatian forward Budimir beat Oblak, just as Real took the lead in Bilbao.

But Simeone’s side responded perfectly with two goals in the space of six minutes.

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LUIS SUAREZ, JAN OBLAK STAR AS ATLETICO GETS HARD VICTORY AGAINST ALAVES

Luis Suárez scored early in the second half and Jan Oblak saved a late penalty as leader Atlético Madrid avoided another setback in the Spanish league on Sunday by beating Alavés 1-0.

The win, only its third in the last seven league games, left Atlético six points in front of Real Madrid and seven ahead of Barcelona, which visits fifth-place Real Sociedad later Sunday. Madrid won 3-1 at Celta Vigo on Saturday.

Suárez, who had scored only twice in the last nine matches in all competitions, put Atlético ahead with a diving header in the 54th minute after a cross by Kieran Trippier.

Oblak preserved the victory by diving to his right to make a superb one-hand save in an 86th-minute penalty taken by Joselu.

Diego Simeone’s team held a comfortable Spanish league lead until recently but had been gradually losing ground as Barcelona and Madrid charged to the top.

Atlético was coming off elimination against Chelsea in the round of 16 of the Champions League and had been held 0-0 at Getafe in its previous Spanish league match.

Aláves has lost five of its last six league games. It sits second-to-last in the 20-team standings with 23 points, two from safety.

Atlético next visits fourth-place Sevilla and Barcelona hosts relegation-threatened Valladolid.

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LUIS SUAREZ HITS BRACE IN ATLETICO 2-2 DRAW AGAINST CELTA VIGO

Atletico Madrid slipped up in La Liga for the first time in nine games on Monday as Celta Vigo snatched a late equaliser to deliver a ray of hope to Barcelona and Real Madrid. Luis Suarez scored twice at the Wanda Metropolitano to overturn Santi Mina’s opener for Celta, with Atletico on course to restore their 10-point lead at the top of the table.

But Facundo Ferreyra slid in to score in the 89th minute to earn a deserved 2-2 draw for the visitors, meaning Atletico’s advantage at the end of the weekend is reduced to eight, still with a game in hand.

“We played quite well but they had a strong finish and a draw was probably fair,” said Diego Simeone.

Atletico still have a considerable cushion but after Real Madrid and Barca beat Huesca and Real Betis respectively, there is at least room for encouragement for the chasing pack. Real Madrid can cut the gap to five points if they win at home to Getafe on Tuesday.

Suarez shows no sign of letting up, the Uruguayan now with 11 goals in his last nine games and 16 for the season.

Those 16 goals in 17 games played for Atletico make him the fastest player to score that many for a La Liga club in the 21st century, one game faster than Cristiano Ronaldo after he joined Real Madrid.

Atletico have been hit hard by coronavirus in recent months, the club confirming another two positive cases on Monday afternoon.

Thomas Lemar and Hector Herrera join Mario Hermoso, Joao Felix and Moussa Dembele on the list of those currently out after contracting the illness.

“We have to make the best of it,” said Simeone. “We have footballers who can take advantage of the opportunities and we hope that the boys recover.”

Celta, who stay 10th, were the better side in the first half, dominating possession and taking a deserved lead after 13 minutes when Hugo Mallo curled in a cross from the right for Mina to head in.

Atletico rarely troubled Celta but managed to go in level, Suarez scoring with their first shot on target. Marcos Llorente’s driven cross evaded four sets of Celta toes and found him at the back post.

Lucas Torreira came on at half-time for Felipe — Atletico reverting to a back four — and within five minutes they were ahead.

Geoffrey Kondogbia floated a ball out to the left and Renan Lodi volleyed it across goal, where the sliding Suarez arrived on his knees to finish.

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Celta almost had a second when Iago Aspas bundled through but Kondogbia darted back to make a superb tackle, just as the striker was about to shoot.

Atletico were moments away but caved with one minute left, a brilliant through ball by Aspas freeing Augusto Solari, whose cross found Ferreyra two metres out

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SUAREZ SCORES 90th-MINUTE WINNER AGAINST ALAVES TO TAKE ATLETICO TOP OF LA LIGA TABLE.

Luis Suarez struck a 90th-minute winner for Atletico Madrid as they defeated 10-man Alaves 2-1 to move back above Real Madrid at the top of La Liga.

Marcos Llorente gave Atletico the lead at Mendizorroza shortly before half-time with a deflected strike from just outside the area.

Diego Simeone’s side appeared to have the game under control when Alaves defender Victor Laguardia was sent off on the hour following a VAR review for chopping down Thomas Lemar as the Frenchman ran towards goal.

Florian Lejeune headed against the post for Alaves before a spectacular own goal on 84 minutes from Felipe threatened to cost Atletico two vital points, the Brazilian centre-back drilling beyond Jan Oblak as he attempted to hack clear an attempted cross.

However, Suarez secured Atletico’s fourth consecutive win in the final minute as the Uruguayan tapped in from close range after the ball was slotted across goal by substitute Joao Felix.

Atletico climbed two points clear of Real Madrid and have two games in hand on the defending champions.

Barcelona are lingering 13 points adrift ahead of their trip to bottom side Huesca later on Sunday eveing. Lionel Messi is expected to return after missing the 1-1 home draw against Eibar in midweek.

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LUIS SUAREZ TESTS POSITIVE FOR COVID-19; URUGUAYAN TO MISS CLASH AGAINST BARCELONA.

Luis Suarez has tested positive for coronavirus, the Uruguayan Football Association (AUF) confirmed on Monday (local time).

The association has also confirmed that the Atletico Madrid striker is currently following self-isolation guidelines. As a result of this positive result, Suarez will miss Uruguay’s World World Cup qualifying match against Brazil later today.

The striker will also miss Atletico Madrid’s match against Barcelona in La Liga on Saturday.

The AUF has also notified that goalkeeper Rodrigo Munoz and backroom staff member Matias Faral have also tested positive for coronavirus.

“The Uruguayan Football Association reports that swabs have been carried out on all the members of the senior team, resulting in the players Luis Suarez, Rodrigo Munoz and the official Matias Faral having tested positive for Covid-19, while all other tests are negative,” the AUF said in an official release.

“The three members mentioned are in good health and the corresponding measures have already been implemented,” it added.

Suarez had registered a goal in Uruguay’s last World Cup qualifying match against Colombia on Friday. The side ended up winning the match 3-0.

The striker has also been in good form for Atletico Madrid as he has registered five goals in six games for the club.

Atletico Madrid is currently in the third spot in the La Liga 2020-21 standings.

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SUAREZ ‘COULD HAVE STAYED’ – RONALD KOEMAN.

Barcelona coach Ronald Koeman had been clear in his intention not to include Luis Suarez in his plans for the Catalans, but the Dutch manager now says the Uruguayan star could have stayed to prove him wrong.

Contrary to previous reports, Koeman said he did not have any problem with Suarez. He insisted that the 33-year-old would have been treated the same as the rest at Camp Nou if the latter had opted to stay instead of moving to Atletico Madrid.

“In the case of Suarez, it had become very difficult for him to start playing and I made that known to him. He found it difficult, but I never had any trouble with him at all,” Koeman said.

“He trained normally, trained well. He finally made the choice to leave and I said: ‘If you don’t leave, for whatever reason, then you are just one of the group, then you can prove that I was wrong’. He could have stayed, yes,” he continued.

Koeman said his choice not to include Suarez in his blueprint for Barca’s future was in part due to the star striker’s age, with the club slowly setting the table for the youngsters to take over.

“I’m good with Luis, but the club felt that we had to rejuvenate,” the 57-year-old coach said. “You can see that now in the team. Ansu Fati plays, he is 17 years old. We have Pedri, 17 years old, who gets his chances. Ronald Araujo is there at the age of 21. Trincao falls in a lot and is 20 years old, and we have taken Sergino Dest, who is 19. Those are all players for the future.”

Koeman’s statement was a counter to Suarez’s recent claim that Barcelona wanted him away from Lionel Messi.

Suarez signed a two-year deal with Atletico Madrid in September in a transfer that was denounced by the Argentine captain. In his farewell post for his friend on Instagram, Messi took a dig at his club, accusing Barcelona of “kicking” Suarez out.

“I think they wanted to remove me from Messi’s side,” Suarez said in an interview, claiming that there are “a lot of contradictions” in the accounts being stated by Barcelona.

“Maybe it annoyed them that I had a good relationship with Leo,” he added. “Perhaps they didn’t want him to be with me so much. I can’t find any reason to think that would damage the team, though.”

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I WAS BROUGHT TO TEARS BY BARCA EXIT- SUAREZ.

Atletico Madrid striker Luis Suarez has said he was brought to tears over the way his six-year stay at Barcelona ended.

Suarez, 33, joined Atletico last month after Barca told him he was no longer part of their plans despite having a year remaining on his contract.

The Uruguay international was one of several big-earners who moved on this summer as Barca attempted to reduce their wage bill to limit the financial repercussions of the coronavirus pandemic.

“There were other ways to tell me that they wanted to change things,” Suarez, who was informed he was surplus to requirements in a brief telephone conversation with new coach Ronald Koeman in August, said.

“The way it was done and the feeling that they’re kicking you out is what hurt the most. Those few days [before my Atletico debut on Sept. 27] were really hard.

“I cried because of everything I was going through. I didn’t take the message from the club about moving on well. More than anything because of the way they handled it, because you have to accept when a cycle has come to the end.”

Barca captain Lionel Messi was also angry at the way Suarez’s departure was handled. He posted a message on social media when his former teammate joined Atletico which was critical of the Catalan club’s board.

“The way [Barca] went about it wasn’t good and that annoyed Leo, too,” Suarez, who left Barca as the club’s third top scorer of all time with 198 goals, added.

“He knows what we’ve been through and how tough it was for us at that moment. I am not surprised he supported me in public because I know him so well. I knew the pain he felt.

“There are things that people don’t know, but going to Barcelona training and being sent to train on your own because you’re not involved in the 11 vs. 11 game they’re playing.

“My wife saw how sad and dejected I was. What I wanted was to laugh and be happy on the pitch again and I had no doubts when the possibility of signing Atletico came up.”

Suarez scored twice on his Atletico debut in a 6-1 win against Granada but has failed to net in back-to-back goalless draws against Huesca and Villarreal since.

However, he scored a penalty on Thursday as Uruguay kicked off their qualifying campaign for the 2022 World Cup with a 2-1 win against Chile.