14 August 2014 18:47
Luis Suarez is to begin training with Barcelona on Friday and will be officially presented at Camp Nou ahead of Monday’s friendly with Leon.
The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) announced on Thursday that while Suarez’s four-month suspension for biting Giorgio Chiellini at the World Cup has been upheld, the striker is now allowed to partake in “training, promotional activities and administrative matters”.
As such, Barca – who signed Suarez from Liverpool for a fee thought to be around £75million last month – have confirmed the 27-year-old will join up with his team-mates for the first time on Friday, before then being formally unveiled at Camp Nou next week.
A statement on the Liga giants’ official website read: “Following the announcement of the verdict by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) regarding the appeal against the sanction imposed on Luis Suarez by FIFA, FC Barcelona hereby announces that the player will join the first team’s training session scheduled for tomorrow Friday in the Ciutat Esportiva Joan Gamper.
“Likewise, the public presentation of Suarez as a new FC Barcelona player will be held on Monday at the Camp Nou, on occasion of the Joan Gamper Trophy match [with Leon].”
Suarez could make his competitive debut in Barca’s first El Clasico encounter of the season, as they are scheduled to meet Real Madrid on the weekend of October 25 and 26.