Luis Suarez has claimed that he was the victim of the Patrice Evra race row, saying that he did not deserve to be fined and banned.
Suarez received an eight-game suspension and a £40,000 fine in December after being found guilty of racially abusing the Manchester United defender during a Premier League match at Anfield last October.
“What hurts me is that I was at the trial and there was no concrete proof,” Suarez said. “It was simply my word against that of the other player and they believed him. That hurt me a lot.”
Suarez aggravated the issue when he refused to shake hands with Evra before Liverpool’s Premier League match against United at Old Trafford last month, for which the Uruguayan later apologised.
He said he was grateful for the support he received from Liverpool and from his home country including national team coach Oscar Tabarez.
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“I’ve already played in other countries, a lot of people know me and I’ve shown who I am. I don’t think I deserve to have been treated as I was,” Suarez said.
Suarez wants to accept a contract extension at Liverpool despite a difficult first season.
“I would like to stay. Despite everything that happened, I’m happy here, on and off the pitch... and at the club they’re happy with me and want me to stay,” Suarez said in an interview with the Montevideo daily El Pais.
“I have a contract until 2016 and they already want to renew it for me. The coach [Kenny Dalglish] still believes in me and that’s very important, especially after having been out for eight matches.”