An emotional Luis Suarez slammed his former club Barcelona for ‘underestimating’ and ‘undervaluing’ him after helping Atletico Madrid to their first La Liga title in seven years.
Suarez scored the vital winning goal in Atleti’s 2-1 win over Real Valladolid to edge out Real Madrid on final day of the campaign in the Spanish top flight.
Suarez proved his doubters wrong with 21 goals and three assists across a superb debut season with Atleti since arriving from Barcelona and he couldn’t resist having a dig at his former team – who deemed him surplus to requirements – in his post-match interview.
‘What I experienced was difficult. Barcelona didn’t value me, they underestimated me and Atletico opened the doors for me,’ the Uruguay forward told La Liga TV after the final whistle.
‘I will always be grateful to this great club for trusting me. ‘My wife, my children, they all suffered. I have been playing football for so many years and they never suffered so much.’
‘It is an amazing feeling to perform in the final game of the season. ‘My work is to help the team and pay them back by scoring goals.
Article continues below
‘Atletico is a huge club and we have shown it this season. We have been the most consistent performers and that is why we are champions.’
READ MORE: Sir Alex Ferguson sends message to Fernandes after he reveals Man Utd regret
Cristiano Ronaldo ready to take pay cut to rejoin Man Utd this summer
Simeone was overcome with emotion after leading Atletico to the title for a second time in his spell as manager, the Argentine said: ‘The world is going through a different phase right now so if we can give some joy to people it means so much to us,’
’32 players I think have been involved, everyone as important ad the other. I am extremely grateful. The players who haven’t been involved have been so respectful of my decisions and the group in general.
‘The first thing that came to me was a smile. I wanted to laugh. I don’t know why. It is joy that is warm inside. ‘I was thinking back to ahead of then game when we were leaving and didn’t know if we would continue after the title win.
‘This group has a tremendous future now. The club is growing and has done a fabulous job. It is more important than the results. ‘We have always been fighting everybody to win this trophy. ‘The people sometimes get bored of me and my approach but I am a really stubborn person.’
