Luis Suarez sees no reason to apologise for his handball against Ghana 12 years ago, as he looks to lead Uruguay to the World Cup quarterfinals.
Uruguay, who earned a point in each of their first two games in Qatar, needs to defeat Ghana on Friday in order to advance from Group H.
However, from the perspective of Ghana supporters, the game at Al Janoub Stadium is somewhat of a rematch.
Suarez has been a hugely unpopular figure in the African nation ever since he handled on the line to deny Dominic Adiyiah a goal in extra time of a World Cup quarterfinal match in 2010. Black Stars coach Otto Addo insisted Ghana will not seek revenge.
Asamoah Gyan missed the crossbar from the ensuing penalty kick after Suarez was given the red card, but Uruguay won the shootout to advance to the semifinals.
However, the former Liverpool and Barcelona star has never thought about offering an apology.
“I won’t apologise for that,” he said in a press conference.
“I did the handball, but the Ghana player missed a penalty, not me.
“Maybe I could apologise if I injured the player, but in this situation I was sent off, the ref said penalty – it’s not my fault, because I didn’t miss the penalty.
“It’s not my responsibility to score the penalty.”
Suarez, 35, said an obsession with vengeance is unhealthy when it was suggested that Ghana, who might advance with a point, might be even more motivated if he plays in what very well may be his final World Cup game.
“I haven’t thought about this. I don’t know what people are saying or if they want revenge,” he replied.
“The players who might play tomorrow might’ve been eight years old back then, will they be motivated? Some people might call me the Devil.
“We beat Portugal in 2018, have you heard Portuguese people saying they needed revenge because we lost?”
Suarez also brought up the 2014 World Cup incident in which the Uruguayan forward bit the Italian defender on the shoulder, Giorgio Chiellini.
“What I did to Chiellini, I made a mistake, but afterwards we played together in the Champions League and shook hands,” he added.
“You can’t focus on the past and revenge, that can be counter-productive.”
“For us, it’s a defining match, and that’s what matters,” Uruguayan coach Diego Alonso said. “I don’t know if Ghana will want revenge, but we respect them, and we’ll try to be better to be able to qualify.”
Meanwhile, his counterpart Addo reaffirmed that Ghana’s minds are not set on retaliation.
“This is what I wish from every player, to do all they can to get to the semi-final of a World Cup. Maybe sacrifice themselves. This is my perspective,” he said.
“It was very sad what happened in 2010, but we can’t change it. In general, it is about perspective,” Addo said.
“If the same incident had happened the other way round people would have talked about it, so for me it is not a big topic. We are going into the match like any other.”
