Page 2 - Barcelona 5-2 Valencia: 4 talking points

#2 Luis Suarez makes goalscoring return

With Lionel Messi ruled out due to injury at the start of the season, Barcelona's season went from bad to worse when star striker Luis Suarez pulled up with a calf problem just 30 minutes into the season's opener against Athletic Bilbao.

Despite an increase in criticisms over his performance in recent years, the Uruguayan international remains an elite performer whose goals are central to everything Barcelona hope to achieve this season.

It would have therefore come as welcome news for fans of the Blaugrana when reports filtered out that Suarez had made a return to full fitness.

Although he started the game from the bench, the 32-year-old was introduced in the 60th minute, and needed less than a minute to make his mark, showing great instinct to casually lift the ball into the back of the net.

With eight minutes left, Suarez got his brace on the night and 12th against Valencia in all competitions, placing the ball excellently past his former teammate to put Barcelona 5-1 up.

His goal was icing on the cake for Barcelona after a dominant display, and with Barcelona's season about to get more tedious, Luis Suarez's return to fitness comes at a perfect time as his performance against Valencia showed.

About the author

Elvis is a seasoned football journalist and has been with Sportskeeda for more than 6 years. He specializes in writing match previews across several leagues and competitions around the world, and his insightful tips have amassed a total readership in excess of 9.2 million till date. Elvis' meticulous attention to detail and strictly following SK's editorial guidelines have been key to achieving a vast readership. He has also exclusively covered the 2021 Nigerian Universiy Games and has provided research for an upcoming biography for a Nigerian football legend.

Elvis has been a Super Eagles fan since 2004, and them beating defending champions Cameroon in the AFCON that year left a lasting impact on him. He supports Sporting Lagos at club level and loves to watch games live at the Onikan Stadium due to its buzzing atmosphere. His favorite football players are former Nigerian forward, Osaze Odemwingie and former Real Madrid legend Raul Gonzalez.

If Elvis could change one football rule, it would be to not be booked for celebrating with pitch side fans. He believes that football is a passionate game and celebrations should be encouraged to the fullest. When not analyzing the latest previews, Elvis indulges in activities such as swimming, reading, and karaoke.

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Edited by Kingshuk Kusari

Barcelona 5-2 Valencia: 4 talking points | LaLiga 2019/2020

#2 Luis Suarez makes goalscoring return