How Does Luis Suarez Compare to Past Great Barcelona Strikers?
Luis Suarez can instantly be compared to seven other Barcelona centre-forwards, without even analysing his game.
They are: Gary Lineker, Romario, Meho Kodro, Ronaldo, Samuel Eto'o, Zlatan Ibrahimovic and David Villa.
Why? Because all seven struck in a Clasico in their debut season. Suarez's goal at Camp Nou in the 2-1 over Real Madrid won Barcelona the game, and arguably the title.
Suarez has developed a knack for scoring crucial goals. After a slow start to his Barcelona career, in which he only notched three in 11 games, he began to find the net with more regularity.
Not only did he win Barcelona the Clasico but he also scored the goal that effectively won them the Champions League final, putting them 2-1 up on Juventus, before Neymar added gloss at the end.
This is why it's time to think about his place in the pantheon of great Barcelona strikers.
Neymar, Jordi Cruyff, Ronaldinho, Diego Maradona and others of their ilk aren't being considered, given their position isn't or wasn't that of a standard striker.
Lionel Messi, too, misses out, because not only would he be Barcelona's best-ever striker, but he'd also be their best-ever left-winger, right-winger, attacking midfielder and any other position you'd care to put him in, apart from goalkeeper (perhaps).
On Sunday against Athletic Club it was Suarez who settled the game, blasting home from close range to win Barcelona the three points in their first match of the season. Another crucial goal; another winner.
There is one former Barcelona striker who Suarez is compared to more than others. Coincidentally, or perhaps not coincidentally at all, he was the central man the first time the Catalans won the treble, in 2009.
It's the Cameroonian hitman Samuel Eto'o. Javier Mascherano compared Suarez to the legendary African striker. He said, per Goal.com:
"[Suarez] is the closest thing I have seen in years to Eto'o. They have the same characteristics, they are fighters. He's helped us to defend from the front.
He is a very humble person, he works hard and I've hit it off with him not just on the pitch but away from the field as well.
Maxi Rodriguez, who played with him at Liverpool, told me that he was a good guy and that we would get on with him.
I think he's been phenomenal and he's helped to release [Lionel] Messi. Now we have a more fixed, central No. 9 which allows Leo the freedom to go deep, more so than when he was a false nine.
"
Mascherano is, as you would expect him to be, given his proximity to Suarez, correct about the forward's battling attitude up front.
Surprisingly, the Uruguayan has behaved himself completely since moving to Spain. He arrived with a lot of baggage, with diving just the tip of the iceberg.
That's the only part of his dark history that has surfaced, and fairly infrequently, too. Although, he didn't deserve the penalty he was awarded for going down under a Gorka Elustondo challenge against Athletic.
Eto'o was prone to going down a little too easily on occasion, but for the most part, his problems were off the pitch.
Despite having a great season under Pep Guardiola, the coach took a disliking to him because of some off-field indiscretions.
Thierry Henry is another to pick out Eto'o as someone to compare Suarez to. The Frenchman places the trio of Messi, Neymar and Suarez alongside the Messi, Henry and Eto'o attack Barcelona had back in the day. He said on Sky Sports:
"In my Barca team we had that [making space for Messi] with me and Samuel Eto’o. They knew we would always ask for the ball in behind, and therefore Leo could encounter space in that false nine role.
[Suarez] being in that position will allow everybody to play better. They went to Leo on the right and Neymar on the left, but they have that No 9 they didn’t have for a long time.
For me, he is a No 9 I like to see. He goes into the channel, he will hold the ball at times. He’s always available. He’s always looking to go behind and they now have a proper No 9.
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Suarez's goal ratio is not particularly impressive when compared to some of the greats, with the striker notching 27 in 47 games.
That's because he started out on the right wing before being moved inside and because he took a few months to adjust to La Liga.
When he leaves the club, it's likely his goals-scored figure will be much closer to his number of games played.
Paulino Alcantara (357 goals in 357 games) is the best goals-to-games-ratio striker in Barcelona history, but he also brought some of the agility that Suarez has.
The FC Barcelona website described another prolific 1920s forward, Josep Samitier, as follows:
"His acrobatics and amazing jumps captivated the Barcelona fans who very quickly made him into their idol calling him “lobster man” and “magician”. The first “boom” of football crowds, came about thanks to him. A football team was created around him due to his exceptional technique and great football skills. Eventually the football field became too small to cater for the crowds and “Las Corts” was built in 1922.
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Barcelona won't be building a new stadium thanks to Suarez, but he has already proved himself a fine signing, and if he continues in this vein, the Uruguayan will go down as one of the club's best-ever forwards.
Ronaldo was excellent for Barcelona, notching 47 goals in 58 games, but only stayed at the club for one season.
Another Brazilian, Romario, was also a fine player but only stayed at the club for two years.
The longer Suarez stays at the club, the more likely it is he will be considered a Barcelona great.
He'll always be remembered, for his part in their historic second treble, but the years ahead will determine his overall position among the club's legends.
The two best forward lines in Barcelona's history are arguably the ones mentioned earlier, Messi, Eto'o and Henry, and Messi, Suarez and Neymar.
It took the Uruguayan being added to the mix to balance the second forward line, and who better to have the final word on the matter than a man who has played behind both? Andres Iniesta said, per Sky Sports:
"I have been lucky to play behind some of the greatest strikers at this club and in the world. Having those three, there’s no doubt, it’s something you can’t compare with. I played with Henry, Eto’o – great strikers – but let’s say right now the threesome we have now are unique.
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And Suarez is the piece of the puzzle who completed it.
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