Friday 15 August 2014 09:50, UK
Luis Suarez could make his first appearance for Barcelona on Monday in a friendly against Leon Guanajuato live on Sky Sports, according to Guillem Balague.
The former Liverpool player was cleared to play in unofficial matches and train with the club by the Court of Arbitration of Sport on Thursday.
There has been a suggestion - perhaps a cheeky suggestion - from Barcelona that... there may be the opportunity, even behind closed doors at the training ground, to organise other friendlies so that he (Suarez) can play more.
Although CAS upheld his ban from competitive matches until October 25 for biting Italy’s Giorgio Chiellini at the World Cup, it ruled that he could not be prevented from taking part in other football activities.
That ruling will allow him to feature in friendlies for Barcelona and Uruguay and train for his return to competitive football against Real Madrid on October 26.
Balague believes that Suarez and Barcelona will be satisfied with the ruling and feel ‘vindicated’ for taking the case to the highest court in sport due to their insistence that a ban from all football activities was unfair.
And he speculated that Barca could co-ordinate the official unveiling of Suarez at the Nou Camp, following his summer move from Liverpool, in a grand show on Monday and arrange further friendlies to ensure the forward starts the season firing.
“It was just felt that it was not fair that he could not do his job, he could not practise it at least on the training ground,” he told Sky Sports News.
“It is a good opportunity for a big day at Barcelona. They have not released the details of when he will be presented but it could be any day now.
"But I wonder if they may leave it until the 18th – the Monday when there is the Gamper trophy where they will play against Leon in a friendly that they do every year.
“It is a way for the fans to know the new team and in this case the new manager as well. The idea is that Luis Suarez will take part in it.
"There has been a suggestion – perhaps a cheeky suggestion - from Barcelona that... there may be the opportunity, even behind closed doors at the training ground, to organise other friendlies so that he can play more.
“Fifa will also have to decide whether that will also count for Uruguay friendlies or not. But in any case Barcelona are relatively happy and the lawyers of Luis Suarez feel vindicated.”
