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Barcelona: Luis Suárez buys Éric Abidal time to find his successor

By Chiranjib Ghosh

Barcelona's Uruguayan forward Luis Suarez celebrates after scoring a penalty during the Spanish league football match between FC Barcelona and SD Huesca at the Camp Nou stadium in Barcelona on September 2, 2018. (Photo by LLUIS GENE / AFP) (Photo credit should read LLUIS GENE/AFP/Getty Images)
Barcelona's Uruguayan forward Luis Suarez celebrates after scoring a penalty during the Spanish league football match between FC Barcelona and SD Huesca at the Camp Nou stadium in Barcelona on September 2, 2018. (Photo by LLUIS GENE / AFP) (Photo credit should read LLUIS GENE/AFP/Getty Images) /
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Luis Suárez has started the season well

Despite his prolific season, Luis Suárez was widely criticised in Ernesto Valverde’s first season in charge. The Uruguayan found it difficult to adapt to the 4-4-2, although he scored many goals. But this season, he has eased into the 4-3-3, scored a brace in Barcelona’s 8-2 drubbing of Huesca.

Last season, the club had started looking for a future replacement for ‘El Pistolero’, going after Antoine Griezmann. But the 27-year old Frenchman turned down the offer in favour of a stay at Atlético after a long-drawn transfer saga.

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This summer, Éric Abidal decided to let go of Paco Alcácer, and integrate Munir into the squad as backup to Luis Suárez. Initially, it looked like a flawed plan as the 23-year old Spanish centre forward was not deemed even nearly good enough to be successful at the Camp Nou.

But Suárez has proven his critics wrong with his performance against Huesca, where he showed some brilliant glimpses of his old match-winning form. If he can replicate this form throughout the season, he might find himself in league with the best finishers in the world yet again.

But regardless, the 32-year old striker has bought Éric Abidal some time to find a successor for him. The Frenchman can now look at slightly younger options for the future No.9 of the first-team, with Suárez showing more longevity than was expected.

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It also opens up opportunities for La Masia graduate Abel Ruiz, who led the Juvenil A side to the UEFA Youth League title last season. If he prove himself in the B team this season, the 19-year old forward may have a chance of breaking into the first-team squad.