Luis Suarez says he is grateful to Liverpool for their help in developing his career - but admits he will have no hesitation in celebrating if he scores against them for Barcelona .
The Uruguay international is due to come up against his former employers in the semi-finals of this season's Champions League, with the first leg at the Camp Nou on Wednesday.
The 32-year-old left the Reds to move to Spain in the summer of 2014 for £65m and has since gone on to form a lethal partnership with Lionel Messi.
Wednesday will be the first time that Suarez has come up against Liverpool in a competitive match since leaving Anfield five years ago.
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And in an interview with the Daily Mail , the Uruguayan forward says he will put any thoughts of friendship to one side once kick-off comes.
"In the build-up to the game it's nice to talk about how massively grateful I am to Liverpool for all they gave me but, you know me, once I'm on the pitch there will be no friendships, no companions, no thought for all the lovely moments," he said.
"I'll defend the colours of Barcelona with all the pride in the world."
Suarez arrived at Liverpool in January 2011 from Dutch heavyweights Ajax for what proved to be a bargain £22.8m.
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Though he could only net four goals in 13 games before the end of that campaign, the 32-year-old went on to become a prolific marksman for the Reds.
Suarez later finished with a tally of 69 goals in 110 Premier League matches and was named PFA Player of the Year as the Reds narrowly missed out on the title in the 2013-14 campaign.
In his time with Liverpool, the Uruguayan was banned for 10 matches after biting Chelsea's Branislav Ivanovic in April 2013, while he was also suspended for eight games after racially abusing Manchester United's Patrice Evra in October 2011.
