Mandy Edwards, NBC Sports
Luis Suarez has admitted that the treatment he received from Barcelona in the days and weeks leading up to his forced departure “hurt,” he “suffered” and he “cried because of what [he] was having to go through.”
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Speaking to Uruguayan media while on international duty, Suarez opened up about his departure from the Camp Nou and seemed to echo a sentiment similar to any number of stars after having unceremoniously left Barcelona — quotes from the Guardian:
“Those days were very difficult. I cried because of what I was having to go through. I didn’t take the club’s message that they were looking for a solution for me in order to mix things up very well. I was hurt most of all by the way they did things, because one has to accept it when a cycle comes to an end.
“Not everyone knows what happened but the worst thing was going to training and being sent to a different group from everyone else because I was not allowed to play in practice matches. My wife could see how unhappy I was and she wanted to see me smile again and when the chance came to join Atletico I had no doubts.”
Luis Suarez also commented on the public support he received from former Barcelona teammate and longtime friend Lionel Messi, who said of Suarez two weeks ago, “You deserved a fitting farewell for the person that you are — one of the best players in the club’s history.”
“I wasn’t surprised that Messi supported me publicly because I know him too well. He knew the pain I was going through, the feeling that I was being kicked out was what hurt me the most. The way they did things was not right and Leo knows how me and my family suffered.”
