Barcelona went up to Eindhoven and came away with a 2-0 victory to win the group. We saw traces of individual talent from certain players but some question marks on others. Overall, it was not the team’s sharpest game. It seemed like something was off. Passes were off, not as many options in the final third and they struggled to give PSV defenders much trouble. The Catalans came out with the best squad at their disposal including Messi, Busquets and even Coutinho. However, one of the most crucial pieces of the Barcelona machine was missing.
He may have hit some dry spots in his career but Luis Suarez continues to be an integral part of this Barcelona side. In my opinion, every team needs a target “9” in any system in this day and age. Suarez has always been a non-Barcelona-type player that shines in the Barcelona system. In other words, before his Barcelona era, he was a controversial, borderline-dirty, goal-sniffing cannibal with an awful first touch. Yet somehow, he fit right in upon his arrival and quickly became a focal point. Suarez is the striker that Barcelona lacked since David Villa’s decline. Possibly, an upgrade from Samuel Eto’o himself.
No other player in Barcelona has been able to replace Suarez. We’ve seen the team smoothly replacing even Messi . In 2015, Neymar and Suarez just hit insane levels, players like Rafinha and Coutinho have stepped up and at times and they’ve even thrown the likes of Munir or Sandro in the starting XI and the team was fine. Suarez on the other hand, has no replacement. Paco Alcacer is a known killer but lacked Suarez’ IQ and playmaking ability. Munir is a skillful dribbler who can finish the few opportunities he gets but he’s not a physical presence up top that occupies the CBs.
Messi is the greatest to ever kick a football but his movement is not the required from strikers. He drops back far too much to initiate plays meaning that the team lacks that target up top. The Uruguayan is also much more physical and better in the air than Messi meaning they have a bigger target to hit. And again, Luis Suarez is a penalty area killer who knows where to be. Messi on the other hand, is practically a playmaking creative midfielder.
It was evident during the game against PSV. The team lacked that target up top as a long escape under PSV’s difficult pressure. Ter Stegen hesitated on finding the target and almost cost his team the win. Suarez’ runs in the box also creates space for his teammates in the space he leave behind. With his runs near post, it allows Jordi Alba to incorporate in the attack in the far post and we know what happens then…
He’s the type of player that impacts the game in ways that aren’t reported on the stats sheet. His game helps set the tone on both ends of the pitch. That is why I always say “give me a struggling Suarez over most elite strikers in the World”. Good luck to his successor…
