Former Liverpool director of football Damien Comolli is fearful that Luis Suarez could be driven out of English football is he continues to be victimised.

The Urugyuan striker was once again the controversial figure on the pitch last week as he handled the ball before scoring the vital goal to knock Mansfield out of the FA Cup.

The handball, along with a racism row with Patrice Evra and the constant diving, has invited bundles of criticism towards the player this week and Comolli believes it is starting to wear thin.

The 25-year-old former Ajax striker has undoubted talent and has once again been the main man at Anfield this season as the lone striker, scoring 19 goals in 28 appearances so far.

However, Comolli feels that an individual can only take a certain level of abuse before he decides to leave the club and the country for an easier ride abroad.

“I find it extremely hard to understand why people look at all the bad aspects and not how good the player is,” Comolli told BBC Sport.

“It’ll be an absolute shame for English football if this victimisation drives him away.

“As the biggest league in the world you want to keep the biggest players, not drive them away for crazy reasons.

“He is a fantastic individual and professional — totally committed to his club, team-mates and job. He’ll give you everything, he’s a winner.

“People need to be very careful what they say and stop criticising him. He’s someone you’d want to go to war alongside.

“I don’t think you can captain Ajax as a foreigner at 21 if you’re not a great individual.”

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