• Transfer News

Suarez not a Barcelona team player - Cruyff

ESPN staff
July 15, 2014
Luis Suarez scored two goals for Uruguay at the World Cup before he was banned for biting © Getty Images
Enlarge

Johan Cruyff believes the impending transfer of Luis Suarez to Barcelona means the club's forward line is set to be made up of stars who play for themselves rather than the team.

The Dutchman, renowned for his spells as both a player and a coach at the Nou Camp, said he believes the move to bring Suarez from Liverpool to link up with Neymar and Lionel Messi would harm the club's established style.

Uruguay international Suarez - banned from all football for four months after biting Italy's Giorgio Chiellini at the World Cup - is said to be in Barcelona and expected to wrap up a £75 million move from Anfield soon.

But Cruyff wrote in his column for Dutch newspaper De Telegraaf: "I can't see how Barcelona intend to continue playing the same way, with a keen focus on team play, if Messi, Neymar and Luis Suarez are in the side.

"The three of them are too individual. In signing Suarez, the club are showing a preference for individual genius over a team that plays great football."

He said the new-look front three would make Barcelona "good for action, but not a good footballing team as a whole."

And he warned: "The style of play developed under Frank Rijkaard and Pep Guardiola is being wiped out."

Cruyff also hit out at what he said was negative football from some nations at the World Cup, but hailed winners Germany for the way they played.

"Countries such as Argentina, Brazil and Netherlands have enough players to be able to do it differently," he said. "Purely for playing football, I'm happy with Germany."

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd
ESPN staff Close

ABOUT COOKIES

To help make this website better, to improve and personalize your experience and for advertising purposes, are you happy to accept cookies and other technologies.

More Info Here Cookie Choices