Former Liverpool and Atletico Madrid forward Luis Suarez marked his Gremio debut in style by bagging a rapid first-half hat-trick on Tuesday night.
Suarez, 35, joined the Brazilian outfit earlier this month following a stint with his boyhood club Nacional. The veteran forward, who penned a two-year deal following Uruguay's exit from the World Cup last month, netted eight times in 14 outings to fire Nacional to the Uruguayan title last season but was always expected to seek a new challenge once his deal was up.
Gremio also enjoyed a successful campaign last season after earning promotion to Brazil's Serie A - and Suarez' instant impact led them to more glory in the form of the Recopa Gaucha Super Cup.
Suarez opened his account after just four minutes with composed chip, only for Sao Luiz to hit back almost instantly. Bitello restored Gremio's lead before Suarez put the result beyond doubt with two more goals to seal a 4-1 win: a trademark finish and rasping volley.
Tuesday night's haul is the first time the veteran has bagged a treble since he plundered four goals in a single game against Norwich during his spell at Liverpool. And he admitted that it was probably his best ever debut, topping the two-goal cameo he produced on his debut for Atletico Madrid.
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Suarez' performance, unsurprisingly, left Gremio coach Renato purring. Speaking after the match, he said: "It couldn't have been better his debut. The fans believe in him, so are we. He showed what he came for. He quickly made it into the group because he's a very humble person. He doesn't want the highlights or perks, he just want to be like everyone else."
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With the match - and the trophy - secured, Suarez was withdrawn in the 58th minute and received a standing ovation from Gremio fans to cap a dream debut.
Suarez' final moments on the field with Gremio were a complete contrast to his final moments in the World Cup, where he was snapped crying on the bench as Uruguay failed to progress past the group stage.
Uruguay were eliminated on goals scored by Ghana, who had an identical goal difference, but had numerous penalty decisions ignored in their final group game: a 2-0 win over Ghana.
Reacting at the time, an emotional Suarez raged: "I see a penalty for Cavani because he is cut off by the defender and he puts his body in front of him. Darwin's is very clear too. They are not excuses, but incredible penalties are being awarded in this World Cup. And there is the committee of referees and FIFA, and they have to try to explain themselves better, at least."
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