JOHAN CRYUFF HAS slammed Barcelona over the signing of Luis Suarez, believing it could signal the end of their renowned brand of football.
Following the departure of Chilean forward Alexis Sanchez to Arsenal, Barcelona confirmed on Friday Suarez had signed a five-year deal after the club agreed an undisclosed fee with Liverpool for the controversial Uruguayan striker.
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Barca coach Luis Enrique now has a star-studded front three made up of Lionel Messi, Neymar and Suarez ahead of the 2014-15 campaign as the Spanish giants attempt to reclaim the league title from defending champions Atletico Madrid.
However, Dutch legend Cruyff — a five-time La Liga winner as both a player and coach at Barca — doubts whether Messi, Neymar and Suarez can play in the same team due to their selfish nature.
“I am happy that Germany won the World Cup. They are playing the kind of football that Barcelona are distancing themselves from,” said Cruyff in his column for Dutch newspaper De Telegraaf.
“That feeling has only gotten stronger with the signing of Luis Suarez. He is a great player, but has a complicated character.
“I don’t know how they plan to play free-flowing attacking football with Messi, Neymar and Suarez in one team. They are all players who rely on their individual actions.
“In signing him [Suarez], the club are showing a preference for individual genius over a team that plays great football.
“The style of play they developed under Frank Rijkaard and Pep Guardiola is being abandoned.”
Luis Suarez won't fit it in at Barcelona - Johan Cryuff
JOHAN CRYUFF HAS slammed Barcelona over the signing of Luis Suarez, believing it could signal the end of their renowned brand of football.
Following the departure of Chilean forward Alexis Sanchez to Arsenal, Barcelona confirmed on Friday Suarez had signed a five-year deal after the club agreed an undisclosed fee with Liverpool for the controversial Uruguayan striker.
Barca coach Luis Enrique now has a star-studded front three made up of Lionel Messi, Neymar and Suarez ahead of the 2014-15 campaign as the Spanish giants attempt to reclaim the league title from defending champions Atletico Madrid.
However, Dutch legend Cruyff — a five-time La Liga winner as both a player and coach at Barca — doubts whether Messi, Neymar and Suarez can play in the same team due to their selfish nature.
“I am happy that Germany won the World Cup. They are playing the kind of football that Barcelona are distancing themselves from,” said Cruyff in his column for Dutch newspaper De Telegraaf.
“That feeling has only gotten stronger with the signing of Luis Suarez. He is a great player, but has a complicated character.
“I don’t know how they plan to play free-flowing attacking football with Messi, Neymar and Suarez in one team. They are all players who rely on their individual actions.
“In signing him [Suarez], the club are showing a preference for individual genius over a team that plays great football.
“The style of play they developed under Frank Rijkaard and Pep Guardiola is being abandoned.”
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Barcelona La Liga Criticism Football Global Football Hendrik Cruyff Lionel Messi Luis Suárez Díaz Neymar da Silva Santos Junior