Liverpool striker Luis Suarez accused Manchester United of using their "political power" in England to hand him an eight-match ban last season for racially abusing Patrice Evra.
Suarez was also given a £40,000 ($62,500) fine for the infamous October incident last season. Suarez speaking to Uruguayan TV Station RR Gol, said he was traumatized by the incident while also alluding to a conspiracy against him and Liverpool, instigated by United. "It was so hard what happened to me," Suarez said. "I don't show my emotions in the field, you know, but outside I do it.
"I cried a lot with all the Evra stuff.
"The trial week was so complicated for me. My wife and I cried a lot during that week. That's when I realised who were the people who really support me and who were the people who were with me because of their personal interest.
"People at the club are sure that it was a way that Man United used to put me out of the team and stop Liverpool. But in England, Man United has this political power, and you have to respect that and shut your mouth.
"I had to go to Manchester in a taxi for the trial. I got up at seven in the morning and I came home at nine at night. I was exhausted, I was so tired. I wanted to cry, and kick all the things around me."
"I came home and I wanted to do all that, but I couldn't because my daughter was at home. There were really complicated days, and then things became harder after the punishment."
The race row ignited further when cameras showed Suarez pulling out of a pre-match handshake with Evra, after the Uruguayan international promised he would shake the Frenchman's hand. Suarez, however, had a different take on things, saying it was Evra who initially pulled out of the handshake. "Before the match against Man United, I promised my wife, the manager and the directors that I was going to shake my hand with Evra," Suarez said.
"Why not, I thought, because I had no problems with him. I had been punished because of him, but I had no problems with shaking hands. But I was not forced to greet him.
"In fact, there was the possibility that neither Man United nor Liverpool's players would shake hands, as it had happened with Queens Park Rangers and Chelsea. But I thought why not, if my punishment was over. I had no problems with Evra. It was only a handshake and I was okay with that.
"But it was a misunderstanding, what happened between me and Evra at Old Trafford. In fact, I think it was all arranged against me again, as it had happened with the punishment.
"The media in England showed the moment when I passed in front of him, but they didn't see that he had his hand low before. Only the media in Uruguay, but also in Spain, showed that I wanted to shake his hand."
