Koeman insists Suarez won't be frozen out if he stays
Xinhua
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FC Barcelona's Luis Suarez (R front) vies with Liverpool's Andrew Robertson during the UEFA Champions League semifinal first leg soccer match between FC Barcelona and Liverpool in Barcelona, Spain, on May 1, 2019. Barcelona won 3-0. (Photo: Xinhua)

FC Barcelona coach Ronald Koeman had a message for striker Luis Suarez after watching his side win a pre-season friendly 3-1 against Girona on Wednesday night.

Leo Messi scored twice, and set up Philippe Coutinho, to show that he is fully committed on the pitch after a summer in which it looked as if he had a foot outside the door of the Camp Nou, while Barca produced a mobile performance in a side that contained Messi, Antoine Griezmann, Coutinho and newcomer Francisco Trincao.

Suarez was not included in the squad for the game and the first question Koeman had to field from Catalan TV network, TV3 was about the striker as the Uruguayan continues to train apart from the rest of the squad ahead of a possible transfer.

When asked about Suarez, who was also left out of a friendly against Gimnastic Tarragona at the weekend, Koeman said he had "spoken to him about the future and whether or not he will stay."

He added that although the veteran striker is currently training separately from the rest of the players, "if in the end he is unable to find another team, he will be another member in the squad here."

Meanwhile the press report that Barcelona still have to settle the final details for paying off the contract of former coach Quique Setien and unless they do that before September 27th Koeman will not be able to sit in the dugout of the Camp Nou for Barca's opening La Liga game, which is at home to Villarreal.