Barcelona have reportedly missed out on an extra two million euros as part of the Luis Suarez transfer deal after Atletico Madrid exited the Champions League at the last-16 stage with the forward having been substituted in the second half in their defeat to Chelsea at Stamford Bridge on Wednesday night.
Suarez joined Atletico from Barca last summer in a deal that angered both fans of the club, former players and Lionel Messi, the Uruguayan’s closest friend in football.
Messi had been publicly by the decision to allow Suarez to move to one of Barca’s La Liga rivals, with the forward’s new club currently four points clear of his old one at the top of the table.
However, Atletico and Barca have both been eliminated from the Champions League at the last-16 stage with the former being the latest victims on Wednesday night, when an unflappable Chelsea side decisively wrapped up a 3-0 aggregate victory over the Spanish side at Stamford Bridge.
Reports from Spain claim that Barca were due the two million euros if Atletico matched their Champions League performance of last season and reached the last eight, but Suarez turned in a disappointing performance as they were well beaten by Thomas Tuchel’s side.
Although having been largely impressive this season, the 34-year-old forward has failed to score in his last six Champions League games for Atletico, having scored his last away goal in the competition in 2015.
Atletico boss Diego Simeone opted to substitute Suarez just before the hour mark and the forward was visibly disappointed to be replaced by Angel Correa.