Everything Barca
Fansided

Luis Suarez’s Super Cup display highlights Barcelona issue

By Benjamin Barkworth

Barcelona's Uruguayan forward Luis Suarez (R) reacts after missing a goal during the Spanish Super Cup final between Sevilla and FC Barcelona at Ibn Batouta stadium in the Moroccan city of Tangiers on August 12, 2018. (Photo by FADEL SENNA / AFP) (Photo credit should read FADEL SENNA/AFP/Getty Images)
Barcelona's Uruguayan forward Luis Suarez (R) reacts after missing a goal during the Spanish Super Cup final between Sevilla and FC Barcelona at Ibn Batouta stadium in the Moroccan city of Tangiers on August 12, 2018. (Photo by FADEL SENNA / AFP) (Photo credit should read FADEL SENNA/AFP/Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit

Barcelona won 2-1 over Sevilla, but that was in spite of Luis Suarez who was terrible.

The Uruguayan striker was the weak link in Barcelona’s performance because he wasn’t up to speed with play and struggled to do basics such as controlling the ball and passing. Attacks seemed to break down whenever he was involved, which was a major issue because the Catalans struggled to have any central penetration in Sevilla’s defence.

Play was often moved into wide areas in order to exploit the wingers tracking back as well as trying to isolate the wing-backs in order to force the centre-backs wide and create openings. Ousmane Dembele and Jordi Alba were key parts of this as the full-back often made runs from deep when the French winger came inside. Lionel Messi played him in a number of times, but Sevilla were well-organised.

Barcelona’s goals ended up coming from a rebound on a free kick and a stunning effort from Dembele. The team as a whole lacked sharpness with their passing and movement which meant there was a heavy reliance on individuals such as Messi and Dembele to force an opening. However, that’s understandable due to the lack of playing time as well as the ‘World Cup hangover’. Sevilla have also played in Europa League qualifiers, so they’re ahead in their preparations for the season.

More from Analysis

Suarez could be given the benefit of the doubt in that this was his first game of any kind after the World Cup. Therefore, it should be expected that his play is rusty as he returns to full fitness. The issue is that there were signs of this last season as well as in the World Cup for Uruguay. He is definitely declining even it is just in the fact that he can’t be as consistent over a season as he used to be.

It’s periods of form rather than long spells, which is a major worry. His all-round issues are a problem because of how Barcelona rely on him for link-up play as well as his finishing. The attacking unit needs to function cohesively in order to break down opposition defences through passages of play which use intelligent movement, instinctive dribbling, quick flicks and sharp passing.

The 31-year-old doesn’t appear capable of this, so it’s a major issue for the club due to the reliance on him. Munir and Paco Alcacer could be useful options for this season; they aren’t good enough to be the main striker, though. Ideally, Barcelona would find a replacement in this transfer window, but that is unrealistic. The main question is: who is suitable for their style?

3 takeaways from Barcelona’s 2-1 victory over Sevilla in the Spanish Super Cup final. light. Related Story

Potential targets

Roberto Firmino and Gabriel Jesus would fit due to the roles they play for Liverpool and Manchester City respectively. Both would be near enough impossible to bring in because they are happy at their current clubs, though. Timo Werner is another option because he provides a threat in behind, works hard defensively in pressing the opposition, is clinical in front of goal and could play out wide in order to allow Messi to play as a false 9. However, he appears content at RB Leipzig and would require a hefty fee to pry away.

Anthony Martial is a promising option because he isn’t wanted by Jose Mourinho and the Manchester United board could probably be convinced to sell with the right offer. However, they are unlikely to let him go this summer due to the transfer window being shut in England so they wouldn’t be able to bring in a replacement. The 22-year-old can play as either a left winger or centre-forward and has the necessary skillset to combine well in the final third as well as being an excellent finisher.

Next. Announcement of new captains is a publicity stunt. dark

Barcelona need to start identifying targets, at the very least, because Suarez is only going to continue declining. This transfer window has been a huge success because the board have reinforced the squad well, but the team needs a finisher who can convert the chances and lead the line in order to ensure the team is well-balanced.