Tuesday 15 July 2014 11:30, UK
Luis Suarez admits he is ready to put his body on the line again to help Uruguay overcome Italy to keep alive their World Cup dreams.
Liverpool hit-man Suarez returned to action against England last week just 26 days after undergoing knee surgery and scored twice to give his country a vital win.
Suarez admits he was not 100 per cent fit to face England, but he is determined to play through the pain barrier to try and help Uruguay reach the last 16 of the World Cup at the expense of Italy.
"I was not really 100 per cent fit and sometimes this happens," said Suarez.
"I was the other day really at the limits of my physical capacity, as I was for the last match with Liverpool last season.
"Last week I was full of cramps and I was tired but of course you have a certain experience and you can build yourself up and come to the next assignment and this is what I am doing.
"I am building myself up again for the game against Italy.
"The knee feels good. I think it’s in perfect shape but when you have surgery, you need some time to see the reaction. Having played so much of the England game [88 minutes] and been the object of so much attention‚ if the knee didn’t feel good, I would have told the coach. But I am cool right now.
“We know what is at stake and we know that we have to qualify. Both teams will want to win and it will be a lovely game to play. We are ready to face the best possible Italy team and then we will play the way Uruguay play when we want to reach something.”
Last week I was full of cramps and I was tired but of course you have a certain experience and you can build yourself up and come to the next assignment and this is what I am doing.
Suarez also claimed his two goals against England were revenge against the media after feeling that he had been a figure of fun in the build up to the World Cup.
"You work in England, and that was in the papers," added Suarez. "You should know what happened and I think it was nothing more than just in the papers.
"Everybody knows that in December 2013, I was elected the best player of the year.
"I guess this is very obvious and even the people in the Premier League voted for me and then if the papers vote for me as well that is sensational.
"I did not want to attack anybody, only some media started making fun of me and you are in the media.
"You are in the media, you should know what happened and why they did that to me.'
