Barcelona striker Luis Suarez continued his fantastic form in the Champions League with two exquisite goals against Paris Saint-Germain on Wednesday night at the Parc des Princes. He has now scored six goals in as many games in the prestigious competition, yet it is the way he scored both goals & his relentless effort which might be the key to how far the Spaniards go in Europe.
His first goal saw him collect the ball outside the penalty area under pressure, before performing a nutmeg on PSG defender David Luiz, then he went on to off a challenge to slot home at the near post. His second goal saw him dribble towards goal in the middle of the park, cleverly slipping the ball through Luiz’s legs once again, before curling an effort into the top corner. The Uruguayan’s brace effectively sealed the quarter-final clash in favor of Barca from the first leg, leading to fans and pundits lauding Suarez for his performance.
“He is a No 9 I like to see, as he goes into the channels, and will hold the ball up. For the first goal he went into the channel, held it, pure strength. The second one, he drops (deeper to collect the ball), plays a one-two and goes in behind. He’s always available. He’s always looking to go behind and now Barcelona have a proper No 9. (Suarez) being in that position will allow everybody to play better. Leo (Messi) on the right and Neymar on the left, and now the No 9 they didn’t have for a long time,” said Thierry Henry.
Suarez’s brace against Paris-Saint-Germain took his season tally to 18 goals in 28 games, eight of which were scored in his last 10 outings. The former Liverpool man was outstanding at the Parc des Princes, scoring twice from just three shots, making four dribbles, and creating one other chance. He has been key for Barcelona in the knockout stages of the Champions League, and if he continues to perform at this level, he might succeed in leading the Catalans to European glory. It has been four years since Barca last lifted the famous trophy and Suarez indicated he moved to Spain in order to win in Europe.
Barcelona do boast what is perhaps the strongest attacking trio in world football, but Messi and Neymar are often marked closely by opposing sides which set out to keep the duo quiet. Suarez has shown he can be the difference in such encounters, as he was the one who scored a brace against Manchester City at the Etihad in the first leg of the Champions League last-16.
As of late, Suarez has been playing at his best and appears to be enjoying his football, but can he fire Barcelona to a first Champions League triumph since 2011?
