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I’ll return only to Liverpool: Suarez

LIVERPOOL — Luis Suarez says Liverpool are the only English club that could tempt him back to the Premier League after he received a rapturous reception on his return to Anfield.

Former Liverpool strikers Luis Suarez (left) and Fernando Torres were accorded the classiest of returns to Anfield for the charity all-star game on Sunday. Photo: Reuters

Former Liverpool strikers Luis Suarez (left) and Fernando Torres were accorded the classiest of returns to Anfield for the charity all-star game on Sunday. Photo: Reuters

LIVERPOOL — Luis Suarez says Liverpool are the only English club that could tempt him back to the Premier League after he received a rapturous reception on his return to Anfield.

Suarez played 45 minutes of a charity all-star game organised by Steven Gerrard and Jamie Carragher, joining ex-Kop heroes Fernando Torres, Xabi Alonso and Pepe Reina.

The Uruguayan was moved to say he would never play for any other English side. “You never know in football what the future holds, but if I ever play in England again, I will play for the Liverpool team and not another team,” said Suarez. “It’s great to come back to Anfield. Not just for the old players coming back, but those who play now and for the supporters, for Stevie and the foundation — it was a special game.

“I’ve missed the fans. The atmosphere is unbelievable ... Everyone who has played for Liverpool knows how important the supporters are. They know they are in my heart.”

Whatever the circumstances of their departure, Suarez and Torres were accorded the classiest of returns. The choreography was more Broadway than Merseyside as the duo made their entrance.

While the players lined up to start the second half, Suarez and Torres were late out of the tunnel, emerging to what amounted to a redemption song from The Kop.

Neither of the former strikers felt they were given the chance to bid a fitting farewell to Liverpool, although they left in vastly different circumstances: Suarez’s £75 million (S$152 million) exit to Barcelona last year was more palatable than Torres’ £50 million move to Chelsea in 2011. For both, this was not so much hello again as a more amicable goodbye in front of 44,903 spectators.

The fascination of an entertaining 2-2 draw was in establishing where the various returning idols were placed in the hierarchy of gratitude from The Kop.

The Uruguayan was just ahead in the popularity poll — the immediacy with which the red carpet was rolled out for him is proof of that. Torres has needed four years to banish the memories of the jeers he received on Merseyside in a Chelsea shirt, but the sound of supporters singing and bouncing to his name must have felt like the diluting of any remaining bad blood.

At one point, he stopped playing to applaud the fans, visibly moved.

“It’s very emotional. I did not know how to react. To hear that song once again is something I’ll never forget,” said Torres.

Alonso, Reina and Luis Garcia were also welcomed enthusiastically. The match, which finished 2-2, was itself an exhibition as two penalties by Gerrard cancelled out goals from Mario Balotelli and Drogba.

Whether this game was a chance for Gerrard to enjoy a final flourish with his pals prior to his move to LA Galaxy — it felt more like an unofficial second testimonial — or the first of an annual event acclaiming lost idols, this was an afternoon of gracefulness off the park as much as on it. THE DAILY TELEGRAPH

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