• Premier League

Koscielny slams 'cheat' Suarez

ESPN staff
October 15, 2012
Luis Suarez has contested claims that he is a diver © PA Photos
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Arsenal defender Laurent Koscielny has slammed Liverpool striker Luis Suarez, accusing him of being a "cheat".

Suarez, 25, has been under the spotlight recently after being criticised by both Stoke manager Tony Pulis and FIFA vice-president Jim Boyce for his ease at going to ground.

Now Koscielny, 27, has joined the list of critics, naming the Uruguay international as the player he least likes to come up against due to his antics.

"Who is the forward I hate to face? Suarez," Koscielny told L'Equipe. "He is tiresome to defend against. He cheats. He pulls your shirt, giving small blows. You always want to give him a kick but you have to be careful not to be red carded.

"For example on September 2 against Liverpool, it was the case with Luis Suarez.

"He is a player who likes to dive as soon as there is contact. During a challenge we jostled a bit each other and he fell. He started to talk to me in English, to say it was a penalty."

Koscielny did however single out praise for former Chelsea striker Didier Drogba, who now plies his trade in China at Shanghai Shenhua.

"He is strong, he is good when he plays with his back to goal, a great header of the ball and good in the gaps," Koscielny said.

"He is the first defender, running everywhere. We saw against Barcelona last season. On his own, he crashed the Barcelona ship."

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.
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