Barcelona striker Luis Suarez has welcomed the arrival of former Liverpool teammate Philippe Coutinho.

Suarez was speaking after victory over Levante.

"As a former teammate, as a friend, I'm very happy for him," he explained in his post-match interview.

"I think he's going to contribute a lot to the team.

"Everyone knows the quality that he has; he's been in the elite group of players for many years."

The Uruguayan forward made clear that building fitness is an integral part of returning to action after the break.

"After the break it's difficult to regain your fitness," he admitted.

"It's important to have good training sessions, though it's just as important to have a good break at this point in the season."