Suarez hits out at questions over Barcelona commitment

Luis Suarez has issued an angry response to questions over his commitment to Barcelona after he missed the Copa del Rey final due to knee surgery.

The Uruguay striker opted to have an operation on a meniscus problem in his right knee just days after the Champions League semi-final exit at the hands of Liverpool.

It meant the 32-year-old could not play in Barca's last two LaLiga games of the season against Getafe and Eibar and also sat out the Copa del Rey final on Saturday, in which Valencia claimed a 2-1 win.

There have been suggestions Suarez chose to have treatment in order to be fit for the Copa America in Brazil and would not have done so had Barca reached the Champions League final, but he has slammed those suggestions.

In a statement released on social media, Suarez described the day after the loss to Valencia as a "day of sadness and disappointment" but insisted he was "very proud of all of [his team-mates], who tried everything possible to give our fans a joy".

He then explained: "I am not much of clarifying things that are said about me and that reach people, but this time I see myself with the obligation to do it, since I believe that many of the things that are being said are with bad intention and question my professionalism.

"This year I started the season with discomfort in the cartilage, which many people already know, and with the GREAT WORK of the club's medical staff I managed to endure without any problem. To all of them, thank you very much for your work and dedication.

"That is why I want to clarify, especially to all those who seem to want to hurt me, that the injury that led me to undergo surgery has absolutely nothing to do with the cartilage, but because of a meniscus tear that I suffered in the tie against Liverpool. That is why I was forced to go through the operating room and miss the final yesterday against my will.

"I have shown every day since I arrived at this club that I am 100 per cent involved, I give it all in every training [session] and in every match for this shield [badge]. Because it has always been and it is my dream to be here!"

May 26, 2019