The former Liverpool striker says he talked with Nuñez last season when the Reds’ new number nine was having difficulties adjusting to English football.
Another international break has arrived, and with it Liverpool’s stars have headed off around the world to play for their countries with Darwin Nuñez now in Montevideo ahead of Uruguay’s game against Argentina in Buenos Aires tomorrow and at home in Uruguay’s capital against Bolivia next week.
For the upcoming games, he will be joined by former Liverpool striker Luis Suarez, currently plying his trade with Grêmio in Brazil. The 36-year-old Suarez is making his return to the national team this week, and amongst the topics that came up with the press was the new Uruguayan striker who plays for his former club.
“He has great power and physical ability, so nothing he can do will surprise me,” Suarez said of national team teammate Nuñez. “When he had a bad time in Liverpool last year, we talked about English football. They asked me to talk to him about the club and I told him to take the number nine.
“I told him what English football was, he opened up and told me what he felt at that moment. So we talked about that. Also about the number nine for the national team. I told him when I leave I want him to grab it. I’m happy for him, happy for what he experiences with his club and the national team.”
Suarez was invited back into the national team fold by manager Marcelo Bielsa, whose decision to take on the Uruguay job has seen a rise in their fortunes. After beating Brazil 2-0 in their last outing, they sit second in CONMEBOL World Cup qualification and will believe they can take points off Argentina.
“I’m proud that they are happy to see me again,” Suarez said of his return. “In March I didn’t know if I was going to do it, I had many mixed feelings. I needed to see if my physique was good, if I was mentally prepared, if I responded well to the demands of football in Brazil. Then the months went by and I felt good.”
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