From ignominy to treble glory - How Luis Suarez turned it around this season

One of Suarez’s best moments came when he scored the winner against Real Madrid in El Clasico

The Uruguayan was beginning to excel in the league, but his contributions in the Champions League were a potent reminder to the rest of Europe that his troubles were long behind him. Against Manchester City, Suarez was virtually unplayable, scoring twice with consummate expertise and placing Barca in a commanding position heading into the return leg.

But Suarez’ European excellence continued beyond that night at the Etihad Stadium, causing a social media meltdown with his delightful, nutmegging public humiliation of David Luiz in the quarterfinal against PSG. Tormenting Luiz and a dishevelled Parisian defence, Suarez notched a couple of goals in sumptuous fashion and ensured a serene passage to the last-four of the competition.

Making Luiz the butt of all jokes, like he had done to an endless list of Premier League defenders, Suarez announced his return to the peak of his powers in characteristically spectacular fashion.

Hard work pays off with the treble in the bag

Suarez continued to soar, smashing home a hat-trick in the 8-0 demolition of Cordoba and attracting standing ovations for his match-changing contributions on a weekly basis. However, goals tell only a part of Suarez’s story at Barcelona thus far. His unerring ability to provide for his team-mates has remained constant, notching 17 assists – a statistic made even more impressive by the fact that he missed the first 11 games of the season.

An increasingly productive understanding with Messi and Neymar has consolidated the trio’s status as the most prolific trident in footballing history and highlighted the Uruguayan’s range of talents. He is not just a goalscorer; he is a provider and a player with a wonderful footballing brain, that has allowed him to battle his demons and become Catalonia’s latest footballing hero.

The season ended in a manner Suarez perhaps thought was unattainable when he was toiling in footballing exile after the biting incident. There he was, firing Barcelona to the Champions League with an incisive performance over Juventus. Suarez let his predatory instincts shine through in Berlin, scoring a decisive second goal to put his side 2-1 up, latching on to Gigi Buffon’s parry and lashing home.

Wheeling away in ecstasy, one could only applaud his magnificent turnaround in what was the ultimate personal accomplishment. Enrique hailed Suarez after the game while also admitting that the club had doubts when they first signed him.

'When we thought about Luis Suarez and considered him we knew of his great quality and his tremendous scoring figures but of course we had doubts about whether he would adapt to a different team and a different way of play,’ Enrique was quoted as saying by The Daily Mail.

He certainly has adapted, and is primed for another season of supremacy with Barcelona in his second year.