Controversial Uruguayan striker Luis Suarez will probably play his first game for Barcelona in a friendly on Monday, coach Luis Enrique said on Sunday, despite the player’s competitive ban for biting a World Cup opponent.
Suarez, who is banned from competitive matches until October 25 for biting Italy’s Giorgio Chiellini, trained with Barcelona on Sunday ahead of Monday’s Joan Gamper Trophy, the traditional curtain-raiser to Barca’s season, against Mexican side Leon. ‘I would like him to be able to play for a few minutes on Monday.
Not many, because he has not played for some time, but he has worked very well when training on his own,’ Enrique told a news conference after Sunday’s training. Barcelona bought Suarez for a reported 95 million euros (£75 million, $127 million) from Liverpool last month.
On Thursday, the Court of Arbitration for Sport relaxed his ban, allowing him to train and play in unofficial matches, but upheld his four-month exclusion from competitive games and his nine-match international suspension. Suarez will be available to play in competitive matches from Saturday, October 25, meaning his official debut could come in the first Clasico of the Spanish league campaign against Real Madrid.
Suarez, who is banned from competitive matches until October 25 for biting Italy’s Giorgio Chiellini, trained with Barcelona on Sunday ahead of Monday’s Joan Gamper Trophy, the traditional curtain-raiser to Barca’s season, against Mexican side Leon. ‘I would like him to be able to play for a few minutes on Monday.
Not many, because he has not played for some time, but he has worked very well when training on his own,’ Enrique told a news conference after Sunday’s training. Barcelona bought Suarez for a reported 95 million euros (£75 million, $127 million) from Liverpool last month.
On Thursday, the Court of Arbitration for Sport relaxed his ban, allowing him to train and play in unofficial matches, but upheld his four-month exclusion from competitive games and his nine-match international suspension. Suarez will be available to play in competitive matches from Saturday, October 25, meaning his official debut could come in the first Clasico of the Spanish league campaign against Real Madrid.