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LONDON. — Barcelona have revealed they began talking to Luis Suarez over a move away from Liverpool before this summer’s World Cup soccer finals. The 27-year-old moved to the Nou Camp for around £75m last month, despite having just been handed a four-month ban by Fifa for biting Italy’s Giorgio Chiellini.

But Barca president Josep Bartomeu has now revealed the two parties were in talks before the World Cup, despite Suarez telling Liverpool fans he remained happy on Merseyside.

“When we approached Suarez, it was before the World Cup. We told him that he had the right age. He had the experience,” Bartomeu said.
“Playing at Liverpool gave him incredible performance and it was the right time for him to come to our club, to Barcelona.”

“We knew from of lot of years ago that Luis Suarez likes our club, likes our city (his in-laws live in Barcelona).
“And we have the advantage – his agent is Pep Guardiola’s brother … He’s from Barca in his heart, also, so everything was perfect and created the perfect atmosphere that Luis Suarez accepted.”

Suarez should find out next week whether he has won his appeal against a four-month ban for biting an opponent at the World Cup.
The Court of Arbitration for Sport says the decision is “likely to be rendered some days” after the closed-door hearing in Lausanne tomorrow.

The fast-track timetable was agreed on with Fifa, which also banned the Uruguay forward for nine competitive international matches.
Suarez’s new club, Barcelona, has joined him and Uruguay’s football federation in the appeal.

Barcelona starts the Spanish league season on August 24 at home against Elche. If the court dismisses the appeal, Suarez’s ban will expire October 25.

Fifa suspended Suarez for biting the shoulder of Italy defender Giorgio Chiellini in a World Cup group match in Brazil.— Metro.