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Barcelona are well on course for their fifth league title while still going strong in Copa del Rey and Champions League. The Catalan giants are in the Copa del Rey finals and take on Manchester United this midweek in the quarter-finals of the Champions League. It is clear that the Blaugrana are favorites in all three competitions this season, as they sit comfortably on the top of La Liga with an 11 point lead.
While it would be unfair to give any one or two players the credit for such sensational dominance, it goes without saying that both Messi and Suarez have been a class apart again this season. Despite being on their wrong side of the 30s, Barcelona are heavily dependent on these two forwards. And why not? Messi and Suarez remain two of the best players in the La Liga.
It is crystal clear that Messi is statistically miles beyond the rest and some may even argue that the 31-year-old Argentine genius is enjoying one of the best seasons in his glittering career. Messi leads the scoring charts with 43 goals in all competitions and the assists charts in the league.
Between Messi and Suarez, they have scored 14 goals in the last six games. It is obvious that Suarez is not enjoying the best season of his life and quite far behind Messi with 23 goals and 11 assists in all competitions but the Uruguayan sharpshooter's staggering impact with the Blaugrana cannot be ignored. There is a reason why Barcelona have stepped up their pursuit to find his heir.
Without further ado, let us evaluate three reasons why Suarez is as important to Barcelona as Messi.
#1 Big match player
Luis Suarez came under a bit of criticism during the start of the season. The Uruguayan ace is not getting any young and endured a slump in front of goal during the initial phase of the season.
The Uruguayan forward always found a way to step up in moments of need. For instance, Suarez opened the scoring against Atletico Madrid last night when it seemed Jan Oblak will not get beaten. Barcelona were 4-2 down in the 60th minute of the match against Villareal a few days ago but Suarez sealed the comeback by netting the equalizer in the injury time of the game.
Suarez's remarkable hat-trick against bitter rivals Real Madrid this season remains fresh in the memory while his exploits against Sevilla in the Copa del Rey is why Barcelona are still in pursuit of a treble. Suarez has constantly proved his naysayers wrong with top notch performances in the biggest games of the season.
#2 Lethal in the absence of Messi
It is an open secret that Barcelona are overdependent on Messi and the Blaugrana coach, Ernesto Valverde himself admitted that. Being versatile with his movements and efficiency in the opponents half, Suarez plays the role of an ideal partner to the Argentine talisman. But even when Messi did not feature or had a quiet night, Suarez managed to secure Barcelona's win.
Arguably, the biggest example of Suarez's exploits without Messi is his performance against Real Madrid. The Blaugrana striker netted a sensational hat-trick in the 5-1 win, ending his goal drought in unforgettable fashion.
The veteran Uruguayan striker kept pushing Barcelona forward when Messi suffered an injury in the first half of the season. Suarez obviously is the talisman for Barcelona during the absence of Messi.
While critics have labeled Barcelona as a one-man team at times, Suarez's presence is a catalytic factor in Messi's majestic performances. It depicts what Messi lacks with Argentina - a perfect number nine who can understand him well and perform against the toughest opponents.
#3 Mentality
Barring his star caliber with the ball, Suarez is relentless. Suarez's unending hunger and work ethic have been the key for Barcelona against the toughest opponents, with the Uruguayan proving that class is permanent.
The Uruguayan striker is never devoid of the hunger and desire to put his team in an advantageous position. His indomitable will plays a huge role in driving Barcelona towards more glories in the current season.
One of the underrated aspects of Suarez's game is also his work ethic, which is a by-product of his never say die attitude. The Barcelona number nine obviously is getting slower year after year but he keeps pushing on for more. Suarez is one of the hardest working forwards on the pitch, constantly making intelligent runs and troubling opponent's defense with his touch and finishing in the box.
Over the years, Suarez has played a pivotal role as Barcelona managed to win numerous accolades. While some of the all-time greats faded away after turning 30, Suarez is still pushing for greatness due to his mental strength which results in a huge impact for his team on the pitch.
