Minutes after taking part in his first training session with his new (and old) Inter Miamiteammates, Luis Suárez was happy with this new challenge in his career that allowed him, on the verge of turning 37, to reunite with Lionel Messi and also with the Spaniards Sergio Busquets and Jordi Alba, part of the most successful Barcelona in history. According to the Uruguayan, that reunion was one of the reasons that pushed him to take this step.
"We had great moments together at the club we dreamed of. One of the reasons I came here was to meet them again," Suarez said at a press conference after the start of the preseason. "We are friends and we know each other very well on the court, we have a competitive DNA and we always want to win. We are ambitious and professional, we will try to teach these young people with great talent that it does not matter the age, but the commitment and sacrifice," he added.
The Uruguayan said that until recently he could not imagine sharing a squad again with his old teammates, with whom he lived for six seasons in the Catalan capital. "I thought Leo was going to finish his career in Barcelona, Sergio and Jordi too. But football is very changeable. In 2018 we imagined retiring in Barcelona. First I left, then they left behind me," he said.
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The Uruguayan national team's all-time top scorer revealed that his compatriot Nicolás Lodeiro had been his main source of information regarding the Major League Soccer (MLS) universe and daily life in the United States. "I spoke to Nico a lot. One of the first times was in 2019, I was already looking forward to coming at that time. But I still felt good to stay in Europe and I was given the chance to go to Atletico Madrid. Then I went back to my country, then I went to Brazil. Now I was given the opportunity and I was excited that there would be teammates and friends," he said.
Suárez began this Saturday a preseason in which his team will play seven friendlies (the first will be on Friday, January 19 against the national team of El Salvador) before the start of the official competition in a season in which the Garzas will play four tournaments: the first match for points will be on Wednesday, February 21 against Real Salt Lake for the first date of the MLS.
Luis Suarez trained for the first time with his new Inter Miami teammates. Photo: Rebecca Blackwell/AP.
"I'm adapting to my teammates and the club, and I'm happy with this new challenge in this new team that has goals that I'm very excited about. Football is all about challenges that you have to meet. And this club offers me the possibility of winning an MLS, something I never did," said Suárez, who stressed the importance of "having a good preseason, getting into a rhythm and being in good physical shape for the 21st (of February)."
The attacker was also excited about the possibility of playing the Copa America in the middle of the year in the United States. "I'm a national team player and I always want to be there. I had the chance to step aside after the World Cup (in Qatar), but I felt good and I felt like I could still help wherever I was. Depending on how well I perform on the court, I'll be there or not. Depending on how I am physically and in the game, the coach (Marcelo Bielsa) will see if I can contribute to the group from whatever place," he said.