Barcelona star Luis Suarez has admitted that he was surprised to see Cristiano Ronaldo leave Real Madrid in the summer but stressed that it makes little difference to his side.
While Atletico Madrid boss Diego Simeone believes the Portuguese star’s departure for €112m (£100m/$130) in the summer has drawn his side on a par with Real, Suarez has refused to jump to a similar conclusion.
The Uruguay international has admitted he did not see the deal coming but at the same time believes Los Blancos should be respected just as they always were.
"Obviously it came as a little surprise because of how good things had gone for him in Madrid, everything he had won there and how Madrid had helped him grow as a player,” he told ESPN.