Luis Suarez says he appreciates the support of Barcelona captain Lionel Messi during his transfer saga.

Upon Suarez signing for Atletico Madrid, Messi launched a social media attack against the Barca board for the way his former teammate had been treated.

Suarez recalled: "We are great, I had been in Barcelona for 6 years and there were other ways of talking to me, telling me that the club was planning to change its scene ... but the ways were not good and that also bothered Leo. He knows what we suffered and how bad we had it at that time.

“I was not surprised that Messi supported me publicly because I know him so well. I already knew the pain he felt, how he said it and how I said it. The behaviour, the feeling that they are throwing you out this way is what hurts the most."