Barcelona's Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez Hit Top Form Ahead of Valencia Showdown

Both Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez achieved milestones as Barcelona crushed Apoel Nicosia ahead of their massive game at the Mestalla on Sunday night.

Barcelona's victory kept them within one point of Paris Saint-Germain in their Champions League group, setting up what will be a huge clash at the Camp Nou on December 10 to decide which side goes through on top.

But first there are important clashes on the domestic front for Luis Enrique's side to reckon with.

This weekend, they travel down Spain's east coast to face high-flying Valencia in the toughest La Liga test that remains for them in 2014.

Petros Karadjias/Associated Press

But this is a good time for Barcelona to face Valencia. They seem to have recovered from the malaise that saw them lose two consecutive games against Real Madrid and Celta de Vigo before they stumbled to a barely merited victory over Almeria.

And with Messi notching two consecutive, record-breaking hat-tricks—and Suarez finally grabbing his first goal in Blaugrana colours—the front line is at last on song.

Much was made of Barcelona's star attacking trio before the season began. Suarez, Messi and Brazilian poster boy Neymar were supposed to tear defences apart this season.

Former Barcelona player and coach Johan Cruyff had been quoted by David Kent of the Daily Mail as saying:

"

I am happy that Germany won the World Cup. They are playing the kind of football that Barcelona are distancing themselves from.

That feeling has only gotten stronger with the signing of Luis Suarez. He is a great player, but has a complicated character. 

I don't know how they plan to play free-flowing attacking football with Messi, Neymar and Suarez in one team. They are all players who rely on their individual actions. 

Barcelona choose for individualism rather than a team playing good football. The style of play they developed under Frank Rijkaard and Pep Guardiola is being abandoned.

"

But with Suarez suspended until October, it was down to Messi and Neymar to perform. And that they did—until the Uruguayan returned.

At this point, something happened. Messi began to look a little out of shape or, at least, out of focus.

However, two goals against Ajax and his brilliant hat-trick against Sevilla (that saw him overtake Telmo Zarra's all-time goal record in La Liga) saw the little genius get back on track.

And against Apoel, he scored another hat-trick (all with his lesser-used right foot). It took him to 74 goals in the Champions League, making him the outright top scorer in that competition, ahead of former Real Madrid star Raul on 71.

Petros Karadjias/Associated Press

The likes of Shkodran Mustafi and Nicolas Otamendi will be quaking in their boots ahead of facing Messi.

Neymar has been in spectacular form this season and is lethal in front of goal. He is building on the decent, if quiet, start he made last season, which was interrupted by injuries more frequently than he would have liked.

Suarez, on the other hand, has been waiting for several games to finally get on the scoresheet. This was his sixth appearance in a Barcelona shirt, but he finally notched.

Before today he had been creating goals for his team-mates (but as any striker will know, it's scoring a goal that's really important to them).

There was a brilliant turn to rip himself away from a defender before he fired into the bottom right corner. And there it was: Suarez's first goal for Barcelona. The first of what will surely be many.

Suarez said after the game, per Sport: 

"

I knew that sooner or later the goal would arrive. I was relaxed and for that reason I was not anxious. I only wanted to help the team. The important thing is that with this goal I could help the team get the result.

I think we played excellently in the first half. The team was good and we got what we deserved by scoring twice before half-time.

With Messi, we understand each other really well. One can play on the right, the other through the middle or whatever. What's important is to help the team.

"

Aside from his goal, Suarez continues to build his fitness, his match sharpness and his familiarity in the side.

Petros Karadjias/Associated Press

For most of the game, he played as a striker (with Messi out on the right once more). While you might expect the Argentine not to appreciate being moved, he seems to be thriving in that position.

It takes the attention of the two centre-backs away from him and gives him more license to do the unpredictable. When Messi arrives in the middle from the right, he's usually lost his man and is ready to pounce.

Beware, Valencia.