Luis Suarez earns plaudits from both Luis Enrique and Carlo Ancelotti after El Clasico winner

Luis Suarez has hit a purple patch after a less than impressive start to the season

Barcelona striker Luis Suárez has earned plaudits from both Barca coach Luis Enrique and Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti following his El Clasico winning goal last night. Suarez’s superb strike earned Barca a 2-1 win over arch-rivals Real Madrid at the Camp Nou to extend their lead at the top of the La Liga to four points.

Suarez endured a difficult start to his Barcelona career and took 577 minutes to register his first goal in the league. The Uruguayan seems to have found his feet since and last night’s strike was Suárez’s sixth goal in seven games and his 14th this season.

Suarez’s first competitive game for Barca, after completing a four-month ban for biting Giorgio Chiellini at the World Cup, was the first El Clasico of the season at the Santiago Bernabeu when Barca lost 3-1. In the build-up to last night’s match, the 28-year-old had admitted, “I felt I was not helping the team,” and also revealed he had not enjoyed the first clásico of the season “as much as I should have done”.

However, last night’s match was visibly different with Suarez sliding to the corner flag on his knees after scoring.

Only goals don't define Suarez’s game: Enrique

Barcelona coach Luis Enrique said that Suárez’s performances for the club were stellar even when he was not scoring goals. He said, “He is a striker and needs goals but even before I was happy with his attitude, his commitment and his play.

“He is not just an old-style striker; he can also combine with his team-mates, he reads the game well, he knows what the team needs at key moments. He doesn’t need many touches to score goals.

"He also has the physique which is good for us and the character which is useful for a team like us which is colder. He complements what we already had.”

When asked about the Catalan club’s more direct style this season, the Barcelona manager responded, “You have to have [different] resources; that’s very important. Our aim is to have the ball, to create chances and to defend a long way from our goal but your opponent plays too and we have to interpret what we need in the game.

"We scored from a set play as well [as a long pass], and that’s gratifying for all of us.”

“This was a very complete, very intense game from both teams. It’s a lovely win for us because it’s our eternal rival. It’s important for the league but not decisive. The only pity was not getting that third goal for the [head-to-head] goal difference.”

Real Madrid lost control: Ancelotti

Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti said he was satisfied with his team’s performance but admitted they lost control during the game. He said, “We lacked a bit of a cool head.

“The league is more complicated now but we have to carry on with this idea. We will not throw in the towel, above all because of the way we played in the first half.

"We have to try to play that way for 90 minutes. But with a player like Suárez that can happen: the right pass, the right space and a good finish.”