Luis Suarez has opened up about his time at Liverpool and Barcelona
Luis Suarez #9 of Inter Miami CF looks on prior to the 2025 MLS Cup Playoff match between Nashville SC and Inter Miami CF at GEODIS Park
Luis Suarez #9 of Inter Miami CF looks on prior to the 2025 MLS Cup Playoff match between Nashville SC and Inter Miami CF at GEODIS Park
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Luis Suarez has seemingly suggested he enjoyed playing for Liverpool more than Barcelona, admitting that while his peak years were spent with the Catalans, his form during his time with the Reds was something "special". The Uruguayan spent three and a half years at Anfield, returning 82 goals and 29 assists from just 133 appearances, before leaving for Camp Nou in a £65m switch in the summer of 2014.
His move to Barcelona came off the back of one of the most extraordinary individual campaigns in Premier League history.
Returning from suspension after biting Branislav Ivanovic, he scored 31 goals and returned 14 assists from just 33 outings to fire Liverpool agonisingly close to the title in 2013/14 against the odds.
Suarez would find himself suspended again that summer after biting Giorgio Chiellini at the World Cup, but that did not stop Barcelona from moving for the striker and enabling him to complete his childhood dream move to the Catalans.
Spending six years with the club, he scored a whopping 198 goals from 283 games to become the third-highest scorer in Barcelona’s history, winning four La Liga titles, the Champions League, four Copa del Reys, the FIFA Club World Cup, the European Super Cup and two Supercopa de Espanas.
In contrast, he won just a solitary League Cup during his time at Anfield. But that does not stop Suarez from looking back on his time on Merseyside most fondly.
"Let's see, the Suarez at Liverpool in 2013 or 2014, when everything was going his way - because everything was going his way - was special," he told Sport when asked if he was a better player for Liverpool or Barcelona. "It's a streak, a moment, when everything clicks and you enjoy it.
"The Suarez at Barcelona was completely different from the Suarez at Liverpool because of the space and the role he had to fulfil.
"I always explained it: at Barcelona, I learned to play in a 10x10 meter space with one touch, something I didn't do at Liverpool. At Liverpool, I had 40 meters to run on my own, and I had to trick myself and fight for the ball. It was the same in Uruguay.
"At Barcelona, no matter where I looked, I had to get used to passing accurately. That made me an even better player.
"It made me evolve a lot, and the Suarez from 2014 to 2017, which were my best years at Barcelona, was also good."
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Suarez's career has always gone hand-in-hand with controversy. During his time at Liverpool alone, he served lengthy suspensions for the aforementioned bite on Ivanovic and after being found guilty by the FA of racially abusing Patrice Evra.
He would also serve a suspension for making an obscene gesture towards Fulham supporters, while he frequently faced accusations of diving and other forms of cheating, such as handling the ball or stamping on opponents.
Suarez describes himself as 'a rebel'. And taking aim at his critics, claiming he was 'attacked' at Liverpool for his behaviour, he admitted such criticism only ever made him stronger.
"Being a rebel. I often think that I can be an example of rebellion, of resilience, of continuing to fight, of continuing to struggle," he said. "On the other hand, there are many things in which I'm not an example. And I accept it, I know it, and I understand it.
"I've always fought against criticism: I debuted for Nacional at 18, and they criticised me for missing goals. That's when I started trying to turn the page on those criticisms.
"And then when I went to Holland, they told me I was fat, and they said the same thing at Ajax. Later, at Liverpool, they attacked me for my acts of indiscipline.
"Then at Barcelona, for going through bad spells. In every stage of my career, I've always fought against the same thing.
"I might have even felt comfortable in that situation, but it's not what anyone would want. Criticism has ultimately strengthened me; it's never gotten me down.
"I've never let people see me down because they criticise me. What sells best, it's always the same, is criticism, and they want to see you downcast, they want to see you like that.
"I've always tried to show strength in that regard. That's what has made me strong."