‘Shy’ Suarez reveals struggles with Liverpool captaincy

Luis Suarez: Enjoyed fine form at Liverpool

Former Liverpool star Luis Suarez says his shyness meant he struggled when asked to captain the Reds.

Speaking before Barcelona’s second leg against Paris St Germain, Suarez, 30, admitted he struggled to lead Liverpool because he was “quite shy”.

Suarez, who spent three and a half years at Anfield, also spoke about how he struggles with the media, preferring to focus on matters on the pitch.

“I like the low profile, to be a player among the others,” Suarez told France Football.

“I am there to give a helping hand to the team but taking decisions, that is not really my thing.

“At Liverpool, I had the chance to be captain and it was not easy for me.

“Even if people find it hard to believe, I am someone quite shy. I am not used to pushing myself forward.

“There are players who are more marketable than me, more gifted with the media. But that does not bother me.

“The individual titles that I have been able to win, I got them on the pitch thanks to my performances and the help of my team-mates.”

The Barcelona striker last week claimed he will never attend another FIFA event and admitted being told to leave the Uruguay squad in front of his children was “one of the toughest days of his life”.

He was banned for nine international matches and from all football activity for four months – after being found guilty of biting Italy defender Giorgio Chiellini at the 2014 World Cup.

Suarez though believes the punishment he received was excessive after he was banned from training with his team-mates and forced to leave Uruguay’s training camp immediately.

The Barca star says he will never attend another FIFA gala as a result, but one of the things which hurt him most was lieing to his daughter Sofia.

Suarez told Sport: “I suffered. I’m a human being that suffers and has feelings. My daughter was aware of what her dad was going through.

“We were going to get on the plane on the way to Rio to play against Colombia and my family told her not to get on the plane, that her dad had to leave.

“Imagine that. It was one of the toughest days of my life. I am a father. I have feelings. Then when I came to Barcelona and I had to train in a gym because I couldn’t go to the training ground.

“It hurt a lot. [My kids] kept asking me why I wasn’t playing. To be honest, it really hurt. Above all because I am not like that, I am a softy and my family know that. My kids know that their dad is a human being and he makes mistakes and they know anyone can make mistakes.”