Luis Suarez advises Xavi to wait for Barcelona job

Atletico Madrid are set to host Barcelona this weekend with two clubs heading in opposite directions. The hosts are coming off a 2-1 win over AC Milan in the Champions League whereas the Catalans suffered a heavy defeat against Benfica.

The game will see former Barcelona striker Luis Suarez taking on his former team. He was gifted to Atletico last season and was an integral part to the Colchoneros winning the league.

The Uruguayan gave an interview ahead of the game where he touched upon his final days with Barcelona, his thoughts on their current situation and the possibility of Xavi taking over as manager.

Atletico Madrid the clear favorites against Barcelona

Suarez was essentially kicked out of Barcelona and what everyone feared, which came to pass, was a motivated Suarez would be a huge boost for Atletico Madrid.

Despite winning the league, he has not forgotten how he was treated at the end by former president Josep Maria Bartomeu.

"“Yes [I believe in karma],” Suarez said. “Karma, destiny, that they despise you, because I have not forgotten that last year in pre-season [Barcelona] sent me to train on my own to make me angry, and I was a professional [despite that], as the coach said.“I was a professional and I would train every day without pouting because that is what I have to do, because I am like that and fate will have its own end.”Source: Marca"

Suarez was one of the player singled out after the 8-2 loss to Bayern Munich as being too old and no longer at the level necessary for a club like Barcelona. They were right in certain aspects but made the dire mistake of selling him to a direct rival.

Regardless of how his exit came about, Suarez still has a lot of love and respect for the club. Despite doing his best to help Atletico beat them, he will not celebrate if he scores.

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He also threw in his two cents about his former teammate, Xavi Hernandez, taking over from Ronald Koeman who is on his way out after a poor start of the season.

"“As a football fan and what he has done as a player, I don’t think today, tomorrow or the day after is the right time to take charge [of Barcelona],” he added. “[Xavi] is intelligent and knows the difficulty of the club. He has to bide his time.“He has ex-teammates at the club that he will have to make decisions with and it’s going to be difficult.”Source: Goal"

Suarez isn’t the first to make similar remarks about Xavi taking over but the club legend has expressed on several occasions his desire to return and become their manager.

He may be right in that it is not the ideal conditions for Xavi is the one supporters want and someone who would be given time to mold the team in his image. That is not something many of the other candidates can say.

Atletico Madrid are going to try to keep pace with league leaders Real Madrid who are three points ahead of them. It is also likely that if they do win, they will be the final nail in Koeman’s coffin. It would not come as a surprise if Suarez plays a huge part in that.