29 January 2024 , 22:58
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Luis Suarez lost his cool with the linesman during Inter Miami's 4-3 defeat to Al-Hilal, after his debut goal for the MLS outfit was initially ruled out for offside.
The Uruguayan, 37, joined Inter Miami following a successful goal-scoring stint in Brazil with Gremio. The transfer saw Suarez reunite with some familiar faces: Lionel Messi, Sergio Busquets, and Jordi Alba.
Inter Miami hopes the Barcelona connection can boost their chances of being the MLS' best team in 2024 after Messi, Busquets, and Alba helped guide the franchise to its first trophy last year with a Leagues Cup victory.
In preparation for the 2024 campaign, Inter Miami headed to the Middle East as part of a two-game tour, taking on Saudi's top two teams: Al-Hilal and Al-Nassr. However, the opening game didn't go to plan, with Al-Hilal racing into a two-goal lead before Suarez struck.
The legendary striker was played through on goal and all he had to do was roll the ball into an empty net. But as he went to wheel away in celebration, the linesman had their flag up, ruling the goal out initially. Suarez lost his cool and began gesturing at the linesman only for the goal to be reviewed by VAR and then given, halving the deficit.
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Al-Hilal were undeterred by Suarez's goal and restored their two-goal lead before the half-time break. Michael got the goal and even copied Cristiano Ronaldo's 'siu' celebration to mock Messi.
Messi got evens after the break, though, converting from the penalty spot before David Ruiz grabbed an equaliser a minute later. The two teams fought hard for the next 20-plus minutes to find a winner but it was the hosts who managed to get it.
Malcom, an ex-teammate of Messi, Suarez, Busquets, and Alba at Barca, got the seventh goal of the game. Regardless of the defeat, Suarez has expressed his joy at playing with his former teammates again.
"Playing with Messi, Busquets, and Alba again? I did not imagine that because I initially thought that Leo would end his career in Barcelona, a club to which he is grateful, in which he achieved everything he wanted, as well as Sergio, and of course Jordi. But football is like this, it changes quickly," he said.
Messi and Co. will want to avoid defeat later this week when they take on Ronaldo's Al-Nassr. It's unclear whether Ronaldo will actually feature due to the ex-Real Madrid striker recovering from injury.