Atletico Madrid president Enrique Cerezo has defended Barcelona counterpart Josep Maria Bartomeu.

Bartomeu has allowed Luis Suarez to make the move from the Camp Nou to the Wanda Metropolitano this month.

"Bartomeu is a great president and, in the future, he'll be [considered] one of the great Barcelona presidents," Cerezo told Catalunya Radio.

"There have been many [great Barcelona presidents], but Bartomeu will be among them.

"Above anything else, Bartomeu has a great virtue.

"He's a really great and excellent person.

"I'm saying this as a personal friend of his, not on Atletico's behalf. What a great person he is."

On his transfer business, Cerezo was very pleased to get the Suarez deal over the line.

"I think a great player is coming," he added.

"One of the top goalscorers in Europe and we're delighted to have him at our club.

"We tried to sign him when he was in Holland, but our financial situation wasn't good and we couldn't do it.

"But destiny is destiny and, some years later, he's arrived at our club."