Suarez accuses Koeman of ‘lacking personality’ in scathing attack

Atletico Madrid forward Luis Suarez has criticised Barcelona boss Ronald Koeman again for the manner of his exit from the Catalan giants.

The Uruguayan striker left Barcelona in the summer of 2020 before his 21 league goals helped Atletico win the La Liga title last season.

Suarez – who scored the second goal in a 2-0 win over his former club at the weekend – spent six seasons at the Camp Nou before Koeman left him in limbo over whether to stay or leave Barcelona.

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The Dutchman told Suarez he was not in his plans before apparently backtracking and Suarez has claimed that it shows Koeman is lacking in personality.

“The Koeman phone call to tell me that he was not counting on me lasted 40 seconds, it is not the way to get rid of a legend,” Suarez told Gerard Romero’s ‘Jijantes FC’ Twitch channel.

“First he told me that I would not be in his plans and then he told me that if I did not resolve my contract I was going to play (in the first game of the season) against Villarreal.

“He lacked personality to tell me things clearly, if he did not want me or if it was really the club that did not want me.”

At the same time as Suarez’s future was up in the air, Lionel Messi was also looking to leave Barcelona and the former Liverpool forward admits it was one of the most testing periods of his career.

“They were very difficult days because of everything I gave to the club. I spoke with Sofía (his wife) and Leo after the call,” Suarez added.

“It was a complicated year because of everything. Messi asked to leave and then I left. The two families had a very bad time. I came home in a very bad way from training.”

Speaking in June, Suarez claimed his choice to move to Atletico Madrid in the summer was the “best decision” that he could’ve made.

“I had options,” Suarez told World Soccer. “But when I adapted to Atletico and I think about the faith the coach had in me, then I know that it was without a doubt the best decision I could have made.”