Atltico de Madrid: Luis Surez: “At Bara I put on a 12… and at Atltico, a ten”

Luis Alberto Suarez Diaz (Leaping, 1987) He arrives carrying the tracksuit from Uruguay, a crew of which he’s, together with Godn, captain. Quickly he faces his fourth World Cup. Till then, he performs in his nation, in his membership: Nacional.

Ask. I keep in mind our first interview. It was in Amsterdam in 2008. You had been an Ajax participant. What do you keep in mind about that Luis?

Response. We’ve got all modified, and soccer is totally different, so I modified too. However the character of that Luis remains to be the identical: desirous to win, combat, succeed… That was, is and shall be. Some features will be improved, however the ambition to be aggressive stays the identical as that of Luis.

Q. Was going to Nacional an act of romanticism?

R. Sure, clearly. We determined to return to the crew that noticed me go away, to which I’m very grateful. It was a troublesome and complex choice, as a result of I’ve a World Cup shut, however I left with the conviction and the understanding that I used to be taking the fitting step, as a result of I needed to set the tempo of preparation. Being aggressive in any League is just not simple.

P. Eight video games performed, and never full, to this point: 4 targets and three assists. Are you cheerful?

R. Quite a bit, particularly due to the love of the individuals from everywhere in the nation, and never solely from the individuals of Nacional. There’s numerous rivalry, and I obtained affection from all of Montevideo, no matter crew they’re. Nacional is in a great dynamic of victories and we’re being aggressive, with the duty to win all the pieces.

P. These photos of you getting into the dressing room of Liverpool (from Montevideo) impacted right here. A dressing room with precarious circumstances. What did you get?

R. It’s surprising as a result of, after being within the elite, it appears unusual to enter such a locker room. However I used to be born there, in Uruguay, and I’m joyful and proud to have come out of that quarry. I’ve no downside, personally, altering and enjoying there. However it’s true that for the picture of the Uruguayan League it isn’t good. If we need to carry high gamers from Europe, a Falcao or a Diego Costa, to call just a few, we can not give that picture as a rustic and a League. For those who present them that outfit, clearly they’ll inform you they are not coming. Mine is totally different. I’m Uruguayan and I make it proud of life. However we now have to enhance the infrastructure if we need to develop.

Q. Uruguay -its coach, Diego Alonso- talks about successful the World Cup. Do you agree with this optimistic view?

R. We’ve got to be proud that it’s the fourth consecutive World Cup for these gamers, and there are some kids who’re going for the third, like Josema Gimnez. This has nice worth. Our squad, a mix of expertise and youth, has many circumstances, and that has rather a lot to do with a World Cup.

We need to make the most of, for instance, the nice second of Fede [Valverde]; the spectacular yr of Darwin [Nez]; Ronald’s good instances [Araujo]though he was injured; by Rodrigo [Bentancur]… They’re gamers who’re at an ideal world degree. They make the distinction bodily and technically. After which there are us, the 2 or three veterans who could also be on the sector, of their fourth World Cup.

Q. What strikes you extra about Valverde, his bodily energy or his technical progress?

R. I, actually, and there are the newspaper archives, already in 2017, when Fede made his debut within the Nationwide Staff, I already stated that he jogged my memory of Steven Gerrard, who was a teammate of mine at Liverpool. He has related circumstances. A field to field, with punch, change of rhythm, numerous arrival… I do not need to evaluate, however the traits are related. I noticed Fede coming and he has made large progress, surrounded by nice stars. He did very effectively.

P. However in Uruguay you’ve extra prominence with the ball. He does not play in a band.

R. That is dependent upon the coach. In Uruguay, they offer him the chance to loosen up extra, to not be shy, they offer him confidence to kick and later, with the minutes, he felt extra like a protagonist as a result of we teammates belief him.

Luis Enrique is the very best coach of my profession

Q. Do you see Spain combating for the World Cup?

R. S, video games will be misplaced, however Luis Enrique should be glad. Spain is a candidate for gamers, high quality and for having the very best coach I’ve had in my profession: Luis Enrique. It’s due to what he transmits and the arrogance in his concept.

P. Returning to Uruguay. The Ronald Araujo factor is a ‘hunch’, is not it?

R. It’s a onerous blow. He’s a trend-setting participant within the group and on protection due to his character and flexibility. He was at an ideal degree. However we all know change him, though we’re going to help him in order that he recovers. Hopefully he could make it to the World Cup. It is going to be a reduction, however he should be calm and never rush as a result of it may be counterproductive. He can not betray his enthusiasm for enjoying within the World Cup.

Q. How does Barça transfer?

A. Excellent. He made good signings and the kids have two extra years of expertise: Pedri, Gavi, Ansu, who’s coming again, plus the veteran Jordi [Alba]’Busi’ [Busquets]Ter Stegen… It’s a crew to compete for all the pieces.

P. Had been you stunned by the try, by the membership, to get Jordi Alba to depart?

R. The difficulty is that everybody is aware of what is going on with the wage restrict. It’s one thing advanced for him, which he was not used to. However together with his psychological power, circumstances and expertise he’ll face it effectively. Attempt to flip the scenario round after they offer you minutes on the pitch.

Q. How did you expertise the levers? There was one, two, three, 4, 5…

r [Risas]. It’s shocking, however I noticed it as a vote of confidence from the associate in direction of the board to attempt to flip the scenario round, with the chance that this entails, however assuming that they had been going to make good contracts and provides Bara again the main function it had misplaced.

P. If there had been levers with Messi, perhaps he would not have needed to go away…

R. They’re choices of that second and also you by no means know what would have occurred.

P. Solely at Bara did he get a Golden Boot, a Champions League, and he’s the third ‘Pichichi’ in his historical past. (198 factors). Actually, from 0 to 10, how do you charge your Barça profession?

R. A 12, as a result of expectations with which I arrived, which weren’t so many when Leo was [Messi] and Neymar. It was stated that three roosters in a hen coop couldn’t coexist and we confirmed that we had been capable of carry out, with the function of every one, however taking that Bara to be the very best in historical past these years. I’m happy with the profession I did. I used to be assembly expectations. On the finish of that stage, one, clearly, lowered the extent besides I had the peace of thoughts of at all times exceeding 25 targets per season.

P. And over time it was proven that neither you nor Leo had been the issues of the locker room, as some stated.

r [Risas] That additionally provides me peace of thoughts. Contained in the locker room, we had been yet one more. With expertise, with years inside, however with efficiency in targets. What’s the ‘should’ to win a second Champions League? Sure, perhaps that thorn remained, like mine of not scoring away targets within the Champions League, however I gave myself utterly to the membership. I’m happy with what I’ve executed.

I might greet Koeman… however I want he had the greatness to inform the reality

P. You might be kicked out of Bara Ronald Koeman as a perpetrator, and Bartomeu, as an ‘mental cover-up’ of his departure. For those who meet Koeman behind a door now, will you greet him?

R. Time passes, and sure, out of politeness and respect, I might greet you. If he got here throughout him, I hope that Ronald would have the greatness, which he had as a participant within the membership, to inform me the reality to my face about why I left, and that I did not go away for soccer or technical causes.

Q. Do you belief Xavi, will he return the essence to the sport?

A. I feel so. He’s proving it, with out being good. He’s a coach who grew up there, and he is aware of what the membership and the followers want. I see many circumstances for him to go far as a coach, and, as well as, they gave him good instruments to take action, they gave him the gamers he wanted and wished. He has to show it.

Q. How do you see Leo? He’s his buddy however he’s prepared for the World Cup and he can undergo that…even Uruguay.

R. I communicate with him, and sure, they’ve 35 video games with out shedding. You at all times need to have respect for Argentina, however in Qatar extra, due to how effectively they’ve been enjoying. She is among the candidates.

P. And the controversy of the well-known field that Leo requested within the contract to resume within the Bara? What does it inform me?

A. It amuses me. It’s one thing very regular in any participant. For those who verify the contracts of any elite footballer, they need to all have their field. I, for instance, within the Atltico, had mine; in Nacional, too… That is why all this hypothesis amuses me. Truly, Leo was making an attempt to make life simpler for the membership as a result of, being shared by our two households, it was only a field. It was harder for Bara that Surez had one and Messi had one other [risas].

Q. Do you see your self with Messi within the MLS subsequent season, in the identical crew? Is it clear to go there?

R. No, it isn’t but recognized. It is among the choices that I see very shut, however now I don’t give it some thought. I feel and revel in Nacional.

Q. Do you rule out enjoying in Europe once more?

R. Sure, as a result of I already did my European profession and I left there very proud. I had many choices, many, earlier than coming to Nacional, however the which means of coming to my nation was additionally: Groningen, Ajax, Liverpool, Bara, Atlético… What higher profession than in Europe! Because of this, he couldn’t find yourself, after Atlético, in one other inferior crew. That trajectory was good. I might have lowered the extent and thus ended up on the highest degree: the Atlético. Therefore, it made sense to come back to Uruguay, not as a result of it was a minor league, however to shut a circle.

P. Do you continue to assume that you’d have given up one other yr at Atlético?

R. Sure, absolutely. However issues occur for a motive. For one thing it was not renewed, for one thing it didn’t materialize. I left happy with my profession there, of successful a League after a few years, of the truth that the followers stated goodbye to me in an emotional means. That poster of ‘thanks, Luis, for the League’ made me really feel very proud.

Q. Did the best way of not renewing or the background damage you extra?

R. Sure, maybe they may have communicated it to me in one other means, however you then start to research and say: ‘you do not have to make issues so massive’. It is executed. All the pieces occurs. I felt comfy, joyful, I used to be yet one more, and the membership handled me spectacularly. They noticed that I used to be yet one more, and never that, coming from Bara, I used to be totally different.

P. Earlier than you bought a 12 in your time at Bara. And within the Atlantic?

R. From 0 to 10, I give myself a ten for being there for 2 years, successful a League and being the crew’s high scorer.

P. How do you see ‘cholismo’? Ought to Simeone return to the essence of a stronger defensive system?

R. It’s that earlier than I had so many gamers of that profile that it was good. However now they put so many high quality gamers on it that it leads you to say: ‘I’ve to assault extra’. You could have Llorente, Correa, Carrasco, Joao, Griezmann… and generally you overlook that earlier than you had a powerful defensive mentality with Juanfran, Godn, Miranda, Savic, Gabi… With that crew, they attacked two or thrice per sport, however they made you a objective. These days they assault extra, however they do not rating as many targets, and so they assault you, however, extra. However, as a result of high quality of the squad, he’s a candidate for all the pieces.