It was inevitable that Suarez’s performances would soon attract the attention of the biggest clubs in the world and Liverpool will have to bid farewell to yet another superstar. The Reds did manage to prevent their star player from making a move to rival club Arsenal last season but found it difficult to stop the player when Barcelona came calling.
Whereas Rodgers and Liverpool will have money in abundance to rebuild their squad after the 27 year olds departure, they might not find a player of the quality of Luis Suarez. The former Ajax man who never fails to make the headlines for all the wrong reasons is a very talented player which makes his comical antics bearable. Thus a four month ban from all football activities did not hinder Barcelona into making a move for last season’s PFA player of the year who made the move before their arch rivals Real Madrid could step in.
A front line of Messi, Suarez and Neymar is surely a mouth watering prospect for every Barcelona fan who would surely be expecting plenty of goals next season. However Barcelona fans are no strangers to disappointments having seen big money signings including Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Cesc Fabregas and Alexis Sanchez flop in the past, it is for this reason that Luis Suarez must be careful as to what awaits him.
The fact that the aforementioned players were not able to produce standout performances despite being some of the most well known names speaks volumes of the expectations at the Camp Nou.
At Liverpool Suarez was the center of attraction and the entire team was built around him. Rodgers tweaked his tactics to the point that they would suit the Uruguayan’s style of play.
This obviously proved to be fruitful ultimately as Suarez’s goal to chance ratio massive increased since 2012 and the former Ajax man helped Liverpool achieve Champions League qualification after a four year absence.
However the controversial striker must bear in mind that he would definitely not be pampered like this by either the Barcelona management or the Catalan faithful. At his new club, Suarez’s every move will be highly scrutinized and failure to achieve targets will not be tolerated.
At Liverpool Suarez was treated like a prince. Unsuccessful nutmegs were ceremoniously cheered and encouraged by the kop with the expectation that their star player would soon produce a moment of brilliance which would throw them into raptures.
Unfortunately for Suarez, Barcelona fans are not as patient and merciful. Whereas a misplaced pass at Anfield might not raise many concerns a similar act at the Camp Nou is regarded as a serious crime which is unforgiveable.
However settling at a new club is not Suarez’s only problem. The Barcelona bound striker might be paving his path to fall in the same pit as the likes of Michael Owen and Fernando Torres.
The former Liverpool strikers were not just the finest forwards to have played at the club but took the Premier League by storm during their peak years. Michael Owen was England’s golden boy and was the country’s biggest hope of a successful World Cup campaign back in 2002.
His career experienced an astronomical rise until he made the untenable mistake of switching clubs. While seeking greener pastures Owen was lured by the riches of Real Madrid and could not resist the temptation to be part of the Galácticos era. Little did he know that his career would experience a massive downward spiral and he would never be able to return to his best.
His goal scoring ratio fell from a formidable 0.55 goals per game to 0.31 following his move and the onetime Ballon D’or winner was never able to live up to his billing.
Fernando Torres followed a similar path. The Spanish international was signed from Atletico Madrid for a club record 23 million pounds which did not seem like a large sum considering how talented he was then. Torres soon took the Premier League by storm with his dazzling performances and scored 65 goals in just 102 Premier League appearances boasting an incredible 0.64 goals per game ratio.
Injuries caused his form to deteriorate during his final days at the club but that did not stop Chelsea from making a Premier League record bid as they signed the striker for £50m in January 2011. Unfortunately Torres was no longer the deadliest striker in the country his form depreciated to the extent that the Blues considered selling him just a season after buying him. The Spaniard no longer had the confidence in front of the goal he once had in abundance, his goals per game ratio fell to a dismal 0.15 and it would come as a surprise if Torres continues to don Chelsea colors next season.
Apart from Owen and Torres, Liverpool legends including Ian Rush and Robbie Fowler also had a hard time replicating their Liverpool form elsewhere which spontaneously makes one thing whether a similar fate awaits Luis Suarez.
Joining Barcelona is definitely a step up in Suarez’s career but he must bear in mind that his past performances will have no bearing from the moment he wears the Catalan colors. Many great players have represented the club and not all have succeeded. Suarez definitely has the qualities to prosper but it remains to be seen whether he can withstand all the pressure and all the factors which stand against him.
