Lionel Messi Benefiting from Luis Suarez's Irrepressible Influence

Three hat-tricks in four games is as emphatic an indicator as you'll get that Lionel Messi is back to his sparkling best.

The genial No. 10—who surpassed 400 goals for Barcelona after his latest treble against Espanyol in the Derbi Barceloni—is playing with that patented panache that only he can emanate, and this surge in form has come about on the back of a coalescence of subtle changes made by Luis Enrique. But there’s been one pretty obvious catalyst to it, and his name is Luis Suarez.

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In the three games that Messi has scored his hat-tricks, he’s been pushed out to the right flank while the former Liverpool man has been operating more centrally. Clearly, Enrique has given Messi the freedom to drift from the wing, and (up to now) it has been working.

Floating in from wide areas—just like he did in the infancy of his career—has made Messi very difficult to pick up. While he may not see as much of the ball, he seems to be receiving it more often in dangerous areas. The goals against Espanyol were a fine example of this particular tactic in action:

But Suarez—who has yet to score a goal in La Liga for his new club—has played a massive part in Messi’s upturn in fortunes. The Uruguayan is irrepressible in his desire to get the ball and unshakeable in his willingness to press the opposition in advanced areas of the pitch. So much so that Messi doesn't have to do quite as much of what you might call the "donkey work."

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Those dogged characteristics have been sorely lacking in Barcelona’s front three as of late, and while Suarez didn’t enjoy his best game in the Derbi, his exceptional movement and in-game intelligence continues to create openings for other players. It’s worth considering that he’s had four months out of the game on the back of his ban, too.

Indeed, as Suarez looks to recapture his edge, writer Paul Tomkins sums up what the forward’s role is in the team at the moment:

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Suarez’s job at Barcelona: give the ball to Messi. Kinda makes sense. Another assist for the Uruguayan.

— Paul Tomkins (@paul_tomkins) December 7, 2014"

While Suarez hasn’t been at the electric levels that made him such a coveted talent during his time at Anfield, the industrious and creative facets of his game have acted as a perfect foil for Messi in recent weeks. Indeed, the Uruguayan has five assists in five La Liga starts already, per WhoScored.com, and even though he's not at full tilt, Suarez is still affecting games with tangible contributions.

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In a roundabout way, the Uruguayan’s strive to gain sharpness is helping Messi—and also Neymar (who is also enjoying a fine campaign). Whether the dynamic will continue to work once Suarez is fully fit, firing and willing to take on more responsibility with the ball remains to be seen. But, as noted here by Spanish football expert Sergi Dominguez, there are ominous signs:

Messi, of course, deserves spades of adulation. If he does keep up this sparkling form for the remainder of the season, this Barcelona team can challenge for domestic and European honours. 

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Just like all great players do, the Argentine is having to adapt his game as he gets older. But credit must also go to Enrique, who—after a fair bit of tinkering—seems to have found a way of giving Messi the space that’ll allow him to be a devastating force again.

Having won the box set of trophies and broken goalscoring records aplenty, lesser players would have been cosy with Messi's haul. But the ponderous plodding that we’ve seen from Messi in recent weeks was replaced by raw passion as he celebrated his goals against Barcelona’s city rivals. He’s a player who once again looks insatiable in his desire to be the best.

He’s been ably assisted by an admittedly rusty Suarez, too. But the Uruguayan will improve, and he’ll score a hatful of goals in the Blaugrana strip that compliment his admirable energy. If he remains a capable foil for Messi, too, then Barcelona are going to be nothing short of formidable as the season rolls on.