Luis Suarez struggles for Uruguay without his striker partner to continue a common theme

Edinson Cavani’s absence severely limited Uruguay’s attacking prowess.

La Celeste’s heroic 2-1 victory over Portugal came at the cost of an injury to star striker Edinson Cavani. His partnership with Suarez helped balance out the defensive approach Oscar Tabarez employed because they made the most of the limited time they had with the ball. Therefore, Uruguay didn’t need a lot of possession to be dangerous.

Christian Stuani was brought in to replace the PSG striker for the France match. The Girona striker had an excellent record in La Liga with 21 goals as they finished 10th in their first season in the top flight. However, this was a completely different challenge for the 31-year-old.

A great example of the understanding between the two experienced strikers is the first goal against Portugal. Cavani lofted a ball across to Suarez on the other wing who worked an opening and fired in a cross which found his striker partner at the back post for a headed finish. It was effectively a one-two between them over a large distance.

Stuani just wasn’t on the same wavelength as the Barcelona striker, so their attacks were a lot more predictable and broke down easier. They were also missing Cavani’s individual quality such as his exquisite curled finish for the second goal against Portugal. Maxi Gomes came on for Stuani, but the result was the same. Suarez seemed to grow increasingly frustrated with his teammates as the match went on and didn’t hide it.

France were able to grind out the 2-0 win, and Uruguay offered little in attack. The few times they broke the opposition down were mostly limited to set pieces. It’s fair to suggest that the result would have been a lot different if Cavani was fit.

Why is this relevant to Barcelona?

His dependence on an attacking partner to bring the best out of him is also an issue at Barca. The 31-year-old looks half the player when Lionel Messi isn’t there next to him. Messi does naturally bring the best out of those around him through his ability and unselfishness. However, Suarez’s downturn in form without him is worrying.

This was a major reason why Antoine Griezmann was seen as the ideal transfer. He has the creative tools and goalscoring instinct to be a major attacking force on his own. This would have taken some of the creative responsibility off Messi while also getting the best out of the Uruguayan without Messi on the pitch.

His behavioural issues against France are also reminiscent of some matches last season when he became frustrated with other players such as Ousmane Dembele. His expectations are too high considering he usually has such a great player alongside him. This does little to help the confidence of youngsters in the team because he is one of the experienced figures.

Barcelona need players who can be decisive in order to take away some of the reliance on Messi. Coutinho showed glimpses of that in the second half of last season and Dembele certainly has the potential to do that. Creativity can be issue for the team when Messi is absent or not up to his usual standard.

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A young talented striker would be a good addition to gradually replace Suarez as he starts his decline. Otherwise he could end up weighing Messi and the team down rather than being a difference-maker. There is no doubting his talent, but preparing for the future is key. At the very least, he needs to be rested more often in the upcoming season. His energetic style is a useful asset, but without that his influence diminishes significantly.