Contract Signed, Suarez Ready to Resume Battle with Espanyol

He doesn't like them, and they don't like him, which, ironically, is just how he likes it. Being loathed on one side of a divide is not just the only way he knows how but also how he knows he's doing it right. "To be loved is to be fortunate," the American writer Minna Antrim once said, "but to be hated is to achieve distinction."

Somewhere, Luis Suarez should have that tattooed on himself. No player in world football revels in his ability to get under the skin of others more than him. He's the most tormenting of class bullies, the one who nicks your lunch money every week but who, for ensuring your retaliation is seen by all, manages to land you in detention as well. Now one of his favourites is back for some more.
On Sunday, Suarez will resume his playground war with Espanyol at the Camp Nou, fresh from renewing his contract with Barcelona that will see him remain in Catalonia until 2021.
"It was the decision that we all wanted, both the club and me, we have a great relationship," he said on Thursday as Barcelona announced the deal, per the club's official website. He's right. Part of being hated on the other side is that you're always loved on your own. When the matter of that other side was put to Suarez on Thursday, he said with a surprisingly straight face: "Any derby is nice to play in."
For a man who would be required by television to wear a muzzle if pitch microphones were any more prominent, the Uruguayan is oddly defusing with his words away from the playing surface. The black-hooded version of himself gets hidden away. Of course, you knew what he meant when he said "nice to play in," but few of his derby opponents—from David Moyes to Pau Lopez—would agree that derbies with him are in any way nice.
From mocking you by celebrating with a dive in front of your technical area to berating you while nose-to-nose, the Barcelona striker knows how to push your buttons in a derby. It's the point of Suarez; the key is not to load him with ammunition, but this is Espanyol. They've already given him a bazook.