Evra recalled the time he almost hit one of the best strikers of that era in the street

Patrice Evra revisited a tense clash with Luis Suárez that occurred over a decade ago, revealing that he nearly came to blows with the Uruguayan striker in the street. The incident stemmed from a 2011 match between Manchester United and Liverpool, where Suárez hurled racist insults at Evra.

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The Origin of the Conflict: Racism on the Pitch

In that Premier League encounter, Suárez made discriminatory comments against Evra, which resulted in an eight-match ban by the Football Association (FA). The episode generated great tension between both players and left open wounds.

The Encounter in the Street: The Temptation of Revenge

Years after the incident, Evra crossed paths with Suárez on a street in Manchester. "One day I was walking in Manchester in Deansgate and my brother said, 'Oh, it's Luis Suárez over there.' I was with two of my brothers. I looked at him and thought, 'That's it, this is the moment,'" Evra recounted on the Diario de un CEO podcast.

Evra confessed that he was on the verge of attacking Suárez, but something stopped him: "Behind him, I saw his children and his wife. And I turned my back. I was like, 'If you do something to him, you can't do it in front of his family.'"

The Decision Not to Act: An Act of Restraint

Ultimately, Evra decided to restrain himself and avoid physical confrontation. "So I don't regret it because I think it would have ended badly. I did nothing that day," he affirmed.

A Reencounter in the Champions League: A Gesture of Détente

Years later, Evra and Suárez met again at the 2015 Champions League final between Juventus and Barcelona. "I was talking to Neymar, he (Suárez) passed by, came over and shook my hand. He said, 'Are you okay?' And I said, 'I'm okay,'" Evra recalled.

Evra's Forgiveness: A Path Towards Reconciliation

Evra surprised everyone by revealing that he forgave Suárez. "Yes. It's about education: no one is born racist," he declared, adding: "I have no hatred. I can't call Luis Suárez a racist because I don't know him well enough to call him that, but that day he used some racist words."

Evra's Reaction to the Insults: Restraint and Denunciation

Evra recalled the moment when Suárez insulted him during the 2011 match. "I told him, 'Did you hear what he just said? He called me the n-word,' but the referee replied, 'Play on, play on, play on, we'll deal with it later,'" he recounted.

Following the incident, Evra received support from his manager, Sir Alex Ferguson, and his teammates.

Death Threats and Special Protection

In the weeks following the match, Evra received numerous death threats, which forced Manchester United to assign him a private security team.

Jamie Carragher's Apology: A Gesture of Remorse

Years later, Evra appeared on a television panel with Jamie Carragher, a Liverpool legend, who apologized for having defended Suárez at the time.

The clash between Patrice Evra and Luis Suárez left an indelible mark on the history of English football. Evra's account of their encounter in the street and his decision not to act reveals the complexity of emotions and the difficult choices that athletes face in extreme situations.