Koeman wishes Barcelona had sold Suarez to Juventus

Carlo Garganese

• Updated: 17 May 2021 19:24 BST
• 2 min read

Ronald Koeman admits that it would have been better for Barcelona had Luis Suarez joined Juventus instead of Atletico Madrid.

Suarez left the Blaugrana last summer after six outstanding years at Camp Nou, with Koeman informing the Uruguayan that he was no longer needed.

He initially agreed terms with Juventus but the move fell through because the Italian giants could not register any more non-EU players.

Subsequently, Suarez was allowed to join Atletico Madrid on a free transfer and he has been a revelation in the Spanish capital.

He has scored 14 goals in just 16 La Liga games as Atletico have opened up a whopping 10-point lead over Barca and Real Madrid at the top of the table.

“It’s part of your job,” Koeman said to The Athletic about the decision to let Suarez go.

“You speak to the club – and when I came as a coach to Barcelona we had our opinions and I had the information out of the club – and then finally you make decisions.

“You need to make these decisions because if it goes well then it’s okay, but if it doesn’t go well then it needs to be my way and that’s the most important thing.

“We’re changing, of course, and it would have been better if Luis Suarez signed for Juventus instead of Atletico Madrid because he’s still in the Spanish League.

“But that kind of decision, we had to make it, really tough ones but showing respect to the player, and I think that’s really important. And I still agree with what we did at that time.”

Atletico also have a game in hand over Barcelona and Madrid, and are in the last 16 of the Champions League where they will play Chelsea.