Luis Suarez finally finding his feet at Barcelona

Barcelona new-boy Luis Suarez has been enjoying a rich vein of form at late with the La Liga title-chasers, most recently scoring one and making two assists in the Catalan giants’ 3-1 win against Granada on Saturday afternoon. He netted a brace against Manchester City in the Champions League too, and is now paying off his £65M transfer fee.

Suarez was somewhat quiet in his first few games for Barcelona, as he had then recovered from a lengthy injury, but is now looking the real deal again.

The Uruguayan international, 28, has made 20 appearances in all competitions for Barcelona this season, scoring 10 goals and making 10 assists. Suarez has created 35 chances and has made 24 successful dribbles. At Liverpool his goalscoring exploits and individual brilliance quickly made him a cult hero with the supporters, and Suarez is slowly winning over the Barcelona fans.

Barca are currently on course for honours too, with the Spaniards into the Copa Del Rey final, currently in the Champions League second round, and second in the La Liga table. A treble is still on the cards with March approaching, so Suarez could hardly wish for a better season. The 28-year-old cited trophy potential as a reason for the move, and given Liverpool won only the Capital One Cup during his three years in Merseyside, his move to Barcelona makes sense.

But many weren’t sure if he could play and fit in with so many world-class players in the team. The likes of Andres Iniesta, Lionel Messi, and Neymar are engrained in the club’s philosophy, which means it can be hard for a new player to come in and make an instant impact. Suarez hasn’t been fazed by the step up in quality, however. He’s relished the chance to play.

The striker’s impact has been telling too, with Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez and Neymar having scored 49 of Barcelona’s 70 league goals this season. They have linked up well in games, and are looking like the most deadly of attacking trios in world football. For £65M, the pressure was on Suarez from the start, and expectation from the supporters will have been high given his exploits in 2013/14, but he’s done well to show his worth.

Barcelona have welcomed him into the club very quickly, and based on recent performances, the 28-year-old could be in line for a long stay in Spain. Suarez is averaging a goal or assist per appearance in all competitions, and has a deal until 2019. He’ll be delighted with his debut campaign so far.