Luis Suarez accused of cheating Italian passport exam

Italian authorities are investigating Luis Suarez over claims he cheated on a citizenship exam before his Juventus move fell through.

Juventus bounced the moment Ronald Koeman informed Suarez that he was surplus to requirements at Barcelona, quickly launching talks with the Uruguayan’s representatives regarding a transfer.

Everything seemed in place at one point, and it was more of a question of when rather than if the move would materialize.

But one minor problem later became a huge one in the South American needing an Italian passport. As Juve had filled all quota in the team for non-EU players, Suarez needed Italian citizenship to join.

Thanks to his wife, Sofia Balbi, already in possession of an Italian passport herself, he was eligible to apply for his own one.

The former Liverpool striker later headed to Perugia to take the citizenship examinations, including a B1 language test. However, there were complaints in the Italian press that his entire application was hastened.

Italian outlet ANSA has claimed the Prosecutor’s Office of Perugia and the Guardia di Finanza are investing allegations that Suarez knew the answers for his exams before he even sat down to take them.

Big issue. There has been “irregularities” in the test of Luis Suárez for Italian Exam in the University for Perugia. “Suárez got advance questions, he had the passport by cheating”, according to preliminary investigations [Ansa]. Meanwhile, he’s waiting to join Atlético… 🚨 pic.twitter.com/Idy1gisZFu

— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) September 22, 2020

It’s alleged the 33-year-old agreed on the topics that his exam would be based on, allowing for his result to be fixed.

“During the investigations, irregularities emerged in the exam taken by Luis Suarez to obtain the Italian citizenship,” read a statement.

“From the investigative activities it emerged that the topics covered by the exam had been agreed in advance and that the score had been assigned before the exam, and that the candidate had demonstrated only an elementary knowledge of the Italian language.

“Today the financial police are carrying out documentary acquisitions at the University of Perugia aimed at confirming the conduct described and notifying for crimes of disclosure of office secrets, ideological falsehood committed by public officials and more.”

But Juventus had to give up the chase on Suarez in the end, as hopes of him gaining an Italian passport before transfer deadline day on October 5 were remote.

The Serie A champions sought out AS Roma’s Edin Dzeko, but have settled on former star Alvaro Morata instead. Suarez, meanwhile, is on the verge of completing a move to Atletico Madrid.