MADRID (AP) — It didn’t take long for Luis Suarez to make an impression with Atletico Madrid.
He needed only about 20 minutes to show he will be a good fit in Diego Simeone’s team, and that Barcelona may end up regretting its decision to let him go.
Four days after arriving from rival Barcelona, Suarez scored two goals and set up another in Atletico’s 6-1 rout of Granada in the team’s Spanish league opener on Sunday. Diego Costa, Angel Correa, Joao Felix and Marcos Llorente also scored for Atletico.
”Sometimes change is important for a player,” Suarez said. ”I’ve been incredibly welcomed at this club. I’ve had a good impression from the start and that shows on the field.”
Suarez, who joined Atletico after being told by Barcelona he wasn’t wanted anymore, quickly left his mark after coming off the bench in the 71st minute at the Wanda Metropolitano Stadium. His first touch was a perfect pass for Llorente’s goal, and in the 85th the Uruguay striker netted for the first time with a neat header into the top corner. His second goal came in the final minute of stoppage time, a left-footed strike after his initial shot hit the post.
”The more good players we have, the better,” Felix said. ”Suarez’s arrival is great for the team, is great for the club.”
Felix, the young Portuguese forward carrying high expectations in his second season with Atletico, had thrived before Suarez came in, creating good chances for his teammates from the start. He set up the team’s second goal by Correa in the 47th, and scored the third in the 65th with a shot from inside the area. Costa, who had opened the scoring in the ninth, set up Felix’s goal. Saul Niguez missed an early penalty kick for Atletico.
”Suarez’s arrival creates competition in the group and that is good,” Atletico coach Simeone said. ”The arrival of an important player like him improves the squad, but the team was already doing well before he arrived.”
Suarez had come close to scoring with a low shot that went wide in the 76th, and he also had been denied an opportunity from the penalty spot after video review reversed a penalty call for a foul on him. He was ready to take the penalty when the call was reversed.
Atletico won’t pay more than 6 million euros ($7 million) in variables for the 33-year-old Suarez, who was let go as Barcelona revamped its squad following a struggling season that ended with an embarrassing 8-2 loss to Bayern Munich in the quarterfinals of the Champions League in August.
Lionel Messi, a longtime friend and teammate of Suarez, publicly criticized the way Barcelona let Suarez go.
Messi and Barcelona will start their league season against Villarreal later on Sunday.
Both Atletico and Barcelona had their first two league matches postponed because they played late into last season in the Champions League.
OTHER RESULTS
Athletic Bilbao won 2-1 at Eibar with a pair of goals by Unai Lopez, while Levante came from behind to beat host Osasuna 3-1.
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