Liverpool prepared me for elite level\, says Barcelona\'s Suarez

SHOWS: LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND, UNITED KINGDOM (MAY 6, 2019) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL) 1.

(SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) BARCELONA, LUIS SUAREZ, SAYING: "After enjoying a number of good years here, I am grateful to Liverpool for my time here.

For the way they received me as a player.

I will always be thankful for that.

Because of the heritage of the club and thanks to Liverpool.

Obviously it is going to be very special to come back here, to play here.

This time wearing a different shirt but I have lovely memories of my time here and my career at Liverpool." 2.

SUAREZ (RIGHT) TRAINING WITH LIONEL MESSI (LEFT) AND GERARD PIQUE 3.

(SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) BARCELONA, LUIS SUAREZ, SAYING: "Celebrating the goal last week, people who know about football, who love this sport, know the importance of the goal that I scored in the Champions League semifinal.

I have all the respect in the world for the Liverpool fans, because I scored it and celebrated it with my fans, I say sorry, but the Liverpool fans would applaud me.

I'm very thankful to Liverpool, to the fans, to the club and obviously it is clear that if I score a goal against Liverpool I won't celebrate it.

In the same way I didn't do in Holland when I scored." STORY: Barcelona striker Luis Suarez thanked former club Liverpool for raising the standard of his game during a three-and-a-half-year spell at Merseyside, but the Uruguayan is focused on knocking them out of the Champions League semi-finals on Tuesday.

Suarez was crowned PFA player of the year in the 2013/14 campaign for leading Liverpool's Premier League title challenge, before they were edged out by Manchester City.

The 32-year-old, who joined Barcelona in 2014, said before the second leg at Anfield that he only had fond memories of his time in England.

Suarez scored in Barcelona's 3-0 first leg victory last week and told the media his time on Merseyside had improved his game and helped him mature.

Suarez said that he had no intention of celebrating if he scored at Anfield.

Suarez is well aware of the atmosphere at Anfield and warned his team mates not to step off the gas against Juergen Klopp's side, who were runners-up last season.

(Production: Alex Fraser/ Jim Hatley)