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Football

20th Mar 2017

Piece of Luis Suarez’s brilliance left Valencia defender unable to walk

So good it hurt

Darragh Murphy

It’s rare that you see a piece of skill so bamboozling that it results in physical harm.

But, then again, Luis Suarez is not your average footballer.

In a thrill-a-minute clash against Valencia, Suarez scored a vital equaliser for Barcelona en route to a 4-2 victory at the Camp Nou.

But 20 minutes before finding the net, Suarez found a way to steal Ezequiel Garay’s soul.

After being beautifully played in by teammate Samuel Umtiti , Suarez faked to cross it with his left foot but, instead, touched the ball inside the onrushing Valencia defender, who left his feet and was sent sprawling off the pitch.

Suarez then played in Lionel Messi, who couldn’t finish, but it was a move that will live long in Garay’s memory as he required attention immediately after the ball went out of play.

It remains to be seen whether it was a knee injury or acute humiliation that Garay was complaining about but, fortunately, he was able to play on for the remainder of the game.

But he will never be quite the same again after being sold (and made to look like) a dummy by the incomparable Luis Suarez.

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