Enrique gives ‘assurances’ that Suarez will play in Madrid
LUIS ENRIQUE, the Barcelona head coach, will give Luis Suarez his firstteam debut for Barcelona during El Clasico tonight, although he would not confirm how long the Uruguayan is likely to play in the match at the Santiago Bernabeu. The return to action of a striker who was banned for four-months for biting Italy’s Giorgio Chiellini at last summer’s World Cup has offered an intriguing subplot to an already compelling fixture.
The Barca head coach now has a decision to make as to whether he starts his marquee signing – Suarez joined from Liverpool for £75m – on the bench or selects a three-pronged attack of the Uruguayan, Neymar and Lionel Messi.
Enrique is not expected to split up the Argentine and the Brazilian, who have scored 13 goals between them in the last five games. However, the 200 Renfield Street, Glasgow G2 3QB. email:
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Pictures published in Herald Sport are for sale www. coach has stated that Suarez will feature in some capacity against their eternal rivals Real.
“Today I cannot play this game but you will have assurance he will play minutes,” said Enrique, whose league leading side are four points ahead of Real. “How many? I do not know. It’s an important occasion for him and he will have minutes.”
Carlo Ancelotti would also spend a good few minutes yesterday fielding questions about Suarez, although the Real head coach dismissed the suggestion that he would alter his team in response to the presence of the Barca striker. Instead, the Italian intimated only that Suarez would be a good addition to the Spanish game. (please include address). Tel / Assistant sports editors
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“I’m not here to judge the behaviour of Luis Suarez,” he said of a player who was also previously banned for a bite on Chelsea’s Branislav Ivanovic and for making a racist remark to Patrice Evra, then of Manchester United.
“I respect him a lot as a player; he’s a fantastic player – he has scored a lot of goals – but that doesn’t change our tactics of the game with Suarez or without Suarez. I think that for football it is good news that Suarez can play in the Spanish league.”
The striker will hope to make his mark immediately, although his debut may still be overshadowed by the diminutive figure of Messi. The Barca forward will equal the scoring record in the Spanish top flight should he score a goal this evening, taking his tally to 251 and level with Telmo Zarra.
Clasicos have often been portrayed as a battle for supremacy between Messi and Real forward Cristiano Ronaldo – the Portuguese has scored 13 times against Barca during his career – and a goal at the Bernabeu for Messi would probably allow him to steal ahead of his rival.
“I just want to see him get past the record, that’d be a good sign for us and mean we are in with a chance of winning,” said Andres Iniesta, the Barca midfielder. “We’re thinking about playing well, winning and stretching our lead in the table.”