Suarez explains Copa anger

Uruguay star Luis Suarez explained his angry reaction at the Copa America Centenario after his side’s elimination.

Suarez was left out of the squad as Oscar Tabarez’s men suffered a 1-0 loss to Venezuela on Thursday to bow out of Group C.

Battling a hamstring injury, the Barcelona forward warmed up and appeared ready to come on – but was not on the team sheet.

He angrily punched the bench but said that was in response to being left powerless as Uruguay were beaten.

“I want to clarify many things that have been said and are untrue,” Suarez told a news conference.

“I am not even at 90 per cent of what I can give.”

Suarez added: “The anger comes from the helplessness of not being able to do anything and seeing that we were being eliminated.

“It has nothing to do with the coach or anything with the coaching staff.”

Suarez may have raised a few eyebrows when he said he wanted Argentina – Uruguay’s rivals – to go on and win the Copa.

The 29-year-old said club team-mates Lionel Messi and Javier Mascherano deserved success.

“I think the favourites are Argentina, but Brazil are also at a high level as they showed with the 7-1 win against Haiti,” Suarez said.

“We have to see how they do when playing against better rivals.”