Luis Suarez

MADRID — Atletico Madrid striker Diego Costa looked forward to a fruitful partnership with new team mate Luis Suarez after his side thrashed Granada 6-1 on Sunday, making a cheeky reference to the Uruguayan's disciplinary problems over the years.

Costa opened the scoring with a headed goal and then came off the pitch in the second half to make way for Suarez, who quickly made his mark following his switch from Barcelona by scoring twice and providing an assist in the final 20 minutes.

MADRID — Luis Suarez had a stunning impact on his debut for Atletico Madrid following his move from Barcelona, scoring twice and providing an assist as his side crushed Granada 6-1 at home in their first game of the La Liga season on Sunday.

Suarez, who only completed his switch from Barca on Friday, started on the bench and came on midway through the second half with his side already three goals up thanks to strikes from Diego Costa, Angel Correa and Joao Felix.

BARCELONA — Barcelona coach Ronald Koeman said he understood why Lionel Messi was upset about the departure of his long-time strike partner and friend Luis Suárez to Atletico Madrid but did not believe it would affect him on the pitch.

Messi blasted Barca on Friday for forcing Suarez out after six years of service in which he scored 198 goals, the Argentinean's latest attack on the club's hierarchy after he tried to force a move of his own last month.

The moment has finally arrived, and with it, the tears of a clown inside his Range Rover Sport. 

A month ago, in the wake of the Lisbon disaster and the resulting farce of president Josep Maria Bartomeu’s ill-conceived list of untouchables, Luis Suárez put on a brave face and declared himself ready to continue at the Camp Nou by any means necessary, even if it meant riding the pine.

Barcelona striker Luis Suárez has agreed a deal with the club to end his contract and settled on personal terms with Atlético Madrid, according to reports in Spain on Monday.

The Catalans' third top scorer of all time was told he was not wanted by new Barcelona coach Ronald Koeman and has been looking for a new club. Suárez, 33, who has one year to run on his Barcelona contract, agreed a deal with the club to cut it short, reports said.

Barcelona forward Luis Suárez is due to sit a language test on Monday in a bid to obtain Italian citizenship that would enable him to move to Serie A champions Juventus, Italian and Uruguayan media said Sunday.

There have been widespread reports that Juventus are chasing the 33-year-old Uruguayan who, if the moves go through, would line up alongside defender Giorgio Chiellini, the Italy defender he famously bit in a World Cup match in 2014.