‘I am filled with emotions,’ says tearful Luis Suarez after Atletico Madrid win La Liga title

Tearful Suarez thanks Atletico for trusting him after scoring the winning goal to lead Madrid team to first title in seven years; hits back at Barcelona for kicking him out last summer

Luis Suarez was in tears on Saturday after his goal helped Atletico Madrid clinch the Spanish Liga title, thanking the club for rescuing him. The Uruguayan, who moved to Madrid from Barcelona in August, thanked “Atletico for opening their doors to me. I am filled with emotions,” Uruguayan striker said after scoring in Atletico’s 2-1 victory in Valladolid. Atletico finished two points ahead of Real Madrid.

‘Difficult situation’

He offered veiled criticism of his former club, who finished the season in third place. “I had to live through a difficult situation, starting the season being under-appreciated and Atletico opened the door to give me the chance to show that I could still be a force,” Suarez said. “That’s why I’m always going to be grateful to this great club for trusting me,” Suarez, 34, said through his tears. “Many people have suffered with me, my wife, my children, every day,” he said. “I’ve been in football for so many years and I think this is the year they have endured the most.” 

The title is “another proof that Atletico had a great season,” he said. “We showed that we were the most consistent team,” Suarez said. He said the title, which follows four he won with Barcelona, “is special, because of everything that some of us had to endure. Here are my statistics: five league titles in seven seasons. And here is Luis Suarez,” he said. 

Atletico players celebrate their Spanish League title triumph

Coach Diego Simeone said of his evergreen striker: “Suarez is a man of character. He’s defiant, he’s a goalscorer.” Simeone said this was the “Suarez Zone” and so it proved, the Uruguayan scoring the winner against Osasuna last week to keep the title in Atletico’s hands and then again on the last day to put their name on the trophy.  This is only the second time in 17 years that a team other than Barcelona or Real Madrid have won the title, with Atleti claiming the other one under Simeone in 2014. Atletico went into the game having been top since December. But they have done nothing the easy way this season, with their 10-point lead in February cut to two in May and their position at the top relying on slip-ups from both Real Madrid and Barcelona. So it was apt that faced with beating Real Valladolid, who were 19th in the table, they still had to scrape over the line.

Suarez had a couple of early openings but any hopes for a comfortable afternoon were dashed in the 18th minute when Valladolid took the lead.  There was plenty of time left and the other consolation for Atletico was Real Madrid fell behind too. Both title contenders were trailing at half-time but Atletico came out with renewed vigour. Real Madrid struck first, Karim Benzema heading in Casemiro’s cross before Angel Correa levelled for Atletico. 

Nail-biting finish

Atletico’s equaliser, though, was made all the more precious after Real Madrid’s was ruled out, Benzema’s left arm shown to be offside by VAR. Atletico took the lead when Suarez scored. Real Madrid equalised in the 87th minute, Benzema curving a finish into the top corner and it was still not over, Luka Modric scoring again to leave Atletico with some nail-biting final moments. They got over the line.

21
No. of goals Atletico Madrid’s Luis Suarez has scored in La Liga this season 

11
No. of Spanish League titles Atletico have won in the club’s history 

05
No. of La Liga titles Suarez has won

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