Luis Suarez dedicated his latest Gremio goal to Lucas Leiva following the ex-Liverpool midfielder being forced to retire from football.
It was announced by Lucas on Friday he would be stepping away from the game for good due to a heart condition, leaving the Brazilian in tears as he shared this news at a club press conference.
Lucas had signed for his maiden professional club, Gremio, last summer and was reunited with former Reds team-mate Suarez in December after the Uruguayan's decision to take on a new challenge in Brazil.
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News of his retirement resulted in messages of support from a number of individuals associated with Liverpool and Suarez made sure to show his respect after getting on the scoresheet in Gremio's Campeonato Gaúcho [a competition for clubs based in the Brazilian state of Rio Grande do Sul] semi-final first leg versus Ypiranga FC.
After slotting past the opposition goalkeeper, the prolific forward raced away in celebration before lifting up his shirt to reveal the following message: "Lucas, our heart is with you." Suarez and Lucas spent three years in each other's company on Merseyside between 2011 and 2014 before the former left Liverpool to sign for Barcelona.
El Pistolero then had the chance to bag a second before half-time, though failed to convert a penalty as the 36-year-old was denied a brace. Since signing for the club, who secured their promotion back to the top tier of Brazilian football last season, Suarez has scored seven goals in 11 appearances while registering three assists.
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