Liverpool’s victory over Actual Madrid in midweek was their first over the Spanish facet in eight video games, stretching again to the beautiful 4-0 thrashing of Los Blancos in 2009.
Regardless of their sturdy begin to the marketing campaign, many had claimed the Anfield facet had but to defeat a real world-class crew. The two-0 victory in midweek will certainly put that argument to relaxation.
Ending this winless run towards the 15-time European champions can even give them a psychological increase, particularly if the 2 sides meet within the latter phases of the Champions League this season.
The barren spell began manner again in 2014 when Brendan Rodgers was in cost. Having completed second within the 2013/14 Premier League desk, the Reds certified for the group phases, drawn in the identical group towards Madrid.
A 3-0 loss at Anfield was adopted by a 1-0 defeat on the Bernabeu as Rodgers’ facet struggled within the competitors.
Regardless of coming so near the league title simply months earlier than, Rodgers failed to actually enhance his squad through the summer season switch window.
Liverpool’s enterprise within the 2014 summer season switch window
Rodgers had cash to spend forward of the 2014/15 marketing campaign and with the prospect of enjoying towards Europe’s elite, the supporters appeared ahead to an thrilling summer season.
Southampton had been focused, as Adam Lallana, Ricki Lambert and Dejan Lovren made the transfer to Merseyside. Lazar Markovic was one of many extra thrilling signings, because the Reds splashed out £20m on thrilling Benfica winger Lazar Markovic, whereas Mario Balotelli returned to the Premier League.
A few fascinating signings for certain, however they weren’t fairly of the required high quality to fireplace the membership to glory through the 2014/15 season.
Whereas cash was out there as a consequence of Champions League qualification, Rodgers secured a monetary windfall for one in all his key gamers – Luis Suárez.
Liverpool’s sale of Luiz Suarez
The 2013/14 season was a outstanding one for the Uruguayan as he scored a staggering 31 targets within the Premier League whereas registering 13 assists. This was made much more particular contemplating the striker missed the primary 5 matches of the season as a consequence of suspension which had carried over from the earlier marketing campaign.
These performances underneath Rodgers had been sure to draw consideration from elsewhere and when the summer season switch window opened, it was clear Suarez can be leaving Anfield.
Certainly, when Barcelona got here in with a proposal of £75m, Suarez left for La Liga, linking up with fellow South People Neymar and Lionel Messi.
He’s nonetheless remembered fondly among the many Anfield devoted and if he remained on the membership, simply what number of targets would he have scored?
Luis Suárez’s Liverpool statistics
The centre-forward signed for the membership in January 2011 with Kenny Dalglish spending round £22.7m to lure him from Ajax.
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He signed alongside Andy Carroll and he went slightly below the radar because of the Reds spending £35m on the Englishman. This new strike partnership appeared prefer it may fireplace Liverpool to glory sooner or later, particularly given each gamers had been underneath the age of 24 on the time.
Just one left their mark at Anfield, nonetheless, as Saurez turned the most effective strikers on this planet.
He netted 17 instances through the 2011/12 marketing campaign because the Reds gained the League Cup whereas reaching the FA Cup remaining, earlier than including one other 30 targets the next season – though this was marred in the direction of the top when he was given a suspension as a consequence of biting Branislav Ivanovic in a tie towards Chelsea.
Regardless of this, 2013/14 was unimaginable for the participant. Former Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher lavished reward on the Uruguayan for his exploits on the membership, saying:
“He’s merely one of many best gamers who ever performed for the membership. Once you discuss all-time greats, he’s within the high 5. The targets he scored and the way in which he performed, it was mind-blowing.”
|
Luis Suárez’s profession statistics |
|||
|---|---|---|---|
|
Membership |
Video games |
Targets |
Assists |
|
Barcelona |
283 |
195 |
113 |
|
Ajax |
159 |
111 |
68 |
|
Liverpool |
133 |
82 |
34 |
|
Atlético Madrid |
83 |
34 |
6 |
|
Gremio |
53 |
26 |
17 |
|
Inter Miami |
37 |
25 |
10 |
|
FC Groningen |
37 |
15 |
12 |
|
Nacional |
20 |
8 |
3 |
Regardless of leaving Liverpool greater than a decade in the past, the 37-year-old remains to be going sturdy.
What Luis Saurez has accomplished since leaving Liverpool
The previous Ajax gem spent six seasons at Barcelona, lastly getting his fingers on the Champions League trophy whereas scoring 195 targets for the La Liga facet.
A spell at Atlético Madrid noticed Suarez safe yet one more league title, earlier than he had spells at Membership Nacional in his homeland and Gremio in Brazil.
It was his transfer to MLS facet Inter Miami in December 2023 which has seen him get pleasure from an Indian summer season to his spectacular profession. Linking up with former Barcelona teammate Messi in Florida, the duo aimed to fireplace the membership to glory.
Throughout 30 MLS and MLS Cup Playoff video games through the 2024 season, Suarez scored 21 targets together with grabbing 9 assists as Miami ended the common marketing campaign with a factors whole of 74, the very best within the historical past of the league.
They had been surprisingly defeated by Atlanta United within the first spherical of the playoffs, however for his performances, the striker was rewarded with a new one-year contract extension.
“I am very completely satisfied, very excited to proceed for one more 12 months and to have the ability to get pleasure from being right here with this fanbase, which for us is like household,” Suarez mentioned.
His exploits for Miami have even seen the participant nominated as the most effective attackers on the Greatest FIFA Soccer Awards 2024, rating him alongside the likes of Kylian Mbappé and Erling Haaland to call simply a few stars.
He may not win the title, however simply being named alongside a few of these gamers is a testomony to Suarez’s wonderful longevity and the actual fact he’s nonetheless scoring recurrently for his membership facet.
Endlessly a Liverpool icon, the Uruguayan might be aiming to complete his profession on a excessive subsequent time period by main Miami to MLS glory, that’s for certain.
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