11 April 2024 , 09:55
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Luis Suarez garnered a reputation for pushing the rules during his spells with Liverpool and Ajax, but the veteran has shown few signs of slowing down while at Inter Miami.
Uruguay striker Suarez was handed bans for biting on more than one occasion during his career in Europe. He was also guilty of acts of bad sportsmanship in international colours, from a red card for handball at the 2010 World Cup to another bite on Italy's Giorgio Chiellini four years later.
Now at Inter Miami, Suarez has indicated his current club will be his last before hanging up his boots. That doesn't mean he's been slowing down, though.
The 37-year-old has seven goals and five assists in just 11 outings for the Major League Soccer side but has also picked up four bookings. The fourth of those cards came against Monterrey in the CONCACAF Champions Cup on Wednesday night, but some felt he shouldn't have stayed on the pitch.
In the 40th minute of the game, Suarez was involved in a tussle with Monterrey's Victor Guzman in the Mexican club's penalty area. The ball had long gone when he took aim at the defender, though.
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He appeared to grab and twist the arm of the 22-year-old centre-back, leaving Guzman on the ground in pain. The incident was missed by the referee, though, much to the annoyance of fans who did see what happened.
"How is that not a red is beyond my mind (sic)," one wrote on social media. Another said "some things never change," seemingly a reference to earlier Suarez incidents, while a third said: "He should be retroactively suspended for that".
Should Luis Suarez have been sent off? Have your say in the comments section
Luis Suarez avoided a card after clashing with GuzmanSuarez's let-off wasn't enough to keep Inter Miami in the competition, though. At the time of the incident with Guzman, they trailed 1-0 in Mexico and 3-1 on aggregate after a first-leg defeat in the United States.
Second-half goals from German Berterame and Jesus Gallardo put the tie out of sight, with Lionel Messi setting up Diego Gomez for a late consolation. Suarez did eventually go into the book 20 minutes from time, while team-mate Jordi Alba was sent off for two quickfire yellows of his own.
The continental elimination will allow Suarez and his team-mates to focus on domestic matters. Inter Miami are the top scorers in Major League Soccer with 16 goals from eight matches, though other sides have games in hand, and will aim to reach the Champions Cup through their league finish after making it into this season's edition by winning the 2023 Leagues Cup.
Suarez and Inter Miami lost both legs of their game against Monterrey (AFP via Getty Images)Back in February, Suarez shed light on his retirement plan. “Yes, I cannot be more sincere and the family already knows," he told Uruguayan radio. "The date is not yet set, but this is the last step.
"I am prepared for this last challenge but it is also exhausting and I have to think about having a quality of life afterwards," he added. Suarez also appeared to rule out a move into the dugout once he takes the decision to hang up his boots.
“I don’t want to do it, it’s worse than being a player," he said of the prospect of turning to management. "Because of the hours of work, it requires more time.”
When he joined Inter Miami, Suarez agreed a one-year deal with the option for a further year. While he hasn't lost his touch in front of goal, he has yet to decide exactly when he'll hang up his boots.
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