It won't be long before Luis Suarez is wreaking havoc in La Liga and judging by the evidence on show against Espanyol in the Catalan Super Cup, that could start as soon as Saturday.
Suarez was started by manager Luis Enrique as Barcelona took on their local rivals at Girona's tiny Estadi Montilivi and provided an instant impact.
After 16 minutes he produced the highlight of the game with a brilliant assist for his team-mate Gerard Pique.
Suarez had the ball on the left-hand side of the penalty area, turned sharply away from his defender, shaped to shoot, but instead cheekily scooped the ball up to the back post, where Pique nodded into an empty net.
It was completely unselfish and exactly what Enrique will want to see from his front-man time and time again this season.
Suarez began the game in the centre of the attack but happily moved out to either side to help build moves, something that the coach will be pleased to see.
When Suarez plays with Neymar and Lionel Messi he will need to move just as fluidly, with all three players capable of playing anywhere across the front line.
He is most likely to start in the inside-right channel, with Messi in a slightly withdrawn centre-forward position, and Neymar on the inside left.
Suarez had gone close a few minutes earlier, when Sergi Roberto crossed in to him, but despite straining all his muscles, he could not head the ball at goal any more powerfully, and Pau Lopez fielded it well.
The Uruguayan was withdrawn at half-time and watched from the sidelines as his team conceded and then went on to win on penalties after a 1-1 draw.
He was Barcelona's best player in the first half and Enrique took him off at the break to keep him fit and ready to take on Celta Vigo this Saturday at the Camp Nou.
He has appeared here once before, in a pre-season friendly for a cameo role, but this weekend will bring his home debut and probably his first goal.
Suarez assisted Neymar's goal against Real Madrid last weekend and set one up for Messi too, but the Argentine squandered the chance uncharacteristically.
His brilliant chip for Pique added another notch in that column, but like any striker he'll also be looking to find the net.
Messi and Neymar were rested for the Catalan Super Cup clash but given that Suarez has spent the past four months unable to play competitively, Enrique wanted him to benefit from the game, but not become too tired to play on Saturday.
Along with goalkeeper Jordi Masip, Suarez received the joint best-player rating from Sport , a seven out of 10.
Celta Vigo have been warned: Suarez is fit, firing and ready to go to war this weekend.
//from Bleacher Report http://ift.tt/1tTt0uw
via IFTTT October 30, 2014 at 05:44AM
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