Tabarez picks Suarez and signs new Uruguay deal
MONTEVIDEO (Reuters) - Luis Suarez is set to make his first Uruguay appearance since the infamous World Cup biting incident after being named on Friday in coach Oscar Tabarez's 22-man Middle East tour squad.
Tabarez has also signed a new deal to stay in charge until the 2018 World Cup in Russia, extending his time with 'La Celeste' to 12 years.
The squad is a mix of World Cup veterans and young newcomers although the coach has rested Paris St Germain striker Edinson Cavani for the friendlies against Saudi Arabia on Oct. 10 and Oman three days later.
"We have the chance to have a reunion (with Suarez). He's a player we don't want to lose contact with regardless of whether he can play or not," Tabarez told a news conference at the Uruguayan FA's headquarters.
Barcelona forward Suarez is serving a ban of four months and nine competitive internationals after biting Italy defender Giorgio Chiellini during a World Cup group match in Brazil in June.
He can play in friendlies, however, because he won a Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) appeal after being initially suspended from "any football activity" during the four-month ban.
Suarez will miss the defence of Uruguay's Copa America title in Chile next year and the opening eight South American qualifiers for the 2018 World Cup.
"We've got to look on the bright side," said Tabarez. "At some point in the qualifiers, when the eight matches of suspension are over, we're going to get a great reinforcement."
Cavani was part of the squad that beat South Korea and Japan on an Asian tour last month but Tabarez said the striker had not had a proper pre-season and needed time off to do fitness work.
"We're at the beginning of the season. It was a good time to free him from the trip to make up for missing some physical work," the coach explained.
Tabarez, who had a first spell in charge from 1988-90, took the reins for double world champions Uruguay again in May 2006 and led the team to the World Cup semi-finals in South Africa in 2010 and the second round this year.
"Our great objective is to qualify for the 2018 World Cup," he said.
Squad:
Goalkeepers: Fernando Muslera (Galatasaray), Martin Silva (Vasco Da Gama)
Defenders: Maximiliano Pereira (Benfica), Diego Godin, Jose Maria Gimenez (both Atletico Madrid), Emiliano Velazquez (Getafe), Gaston Silva (Torino), Martin Caceres (Juventus), Alvaro Pereira (Sao Paulo), Mathias Corujo (Universidad de Chile)
Midfielders: Egidio Arevalo Rios (UANL Tigres), Diego Arismendi (Nacional), Camilo Mayada (Danubio), Gaston Ramirez (Hull City), Nicolas Lodeiro (Corinthians), Cristian Rodriguez (Atletico Madrid), Giorgian De Arrascaeta (Defensor Sporting)
Forwards: Luis Suarez (Barcelona), Cristhian Stuani (Espanyol), Abel Hernandez (Hull City), Diego Rolan (Bordeaux), Jonathan Rodriguez (Penarol)
(Writing by Rex Gowar, editing by Tony Jimenez)
