The image of a frustrated Lionel Messi with his hands on his hips in Barcelona’s 0-0 Champions League draw in Lyon on Tuesday may reverberate the most around the world, but it is Luis Suarez’s form in front of goal that is causing most concern in Catalonia.
Suarez laboured throughout much of the Champions League last 16, first leg in France, although he came as close as anyone to scoring for Barcelona when he fired just wide from a Jordi Alba cutback 20 minutes from time.
Barca’s recent struggles away from home at the business end of the Champions League go on — it is now six matches without an away win in the knockout rounds, with just one goal scored in that time, since beating Arsenal 2-0 three years ago.
Suarez, meanwhile, has now gone 16 away matches without scoring in the competition since a draw at Roma in the group stage in 2015. That adds up to more than 24 hours in total.
“I’d be worried if he were not creating chances, but he has always had chances, he creates them for his teammates, and he is a constant headache for opponents,” said coach Ernesto Valverde in defence of the 32-year-old.
Suarez has 16 goals in all competitions this season, but only one in his team’s last eight matches.
“Maybe he is saving them for the games to come,” added Valverde.
The performance has added to the worries back in Catalonia, with Barcelona “unable to translate their overwhelming dominance into a goal”, as the daily Sport put it on Wednesday.
They had 24 attempts at goal, but just five were on target.
“Nobody had the punch, precision, sharpness or clarity to kill the game,” said El Pais, with Barcelona “victims of a negative run, all blinded, including the infallible Messi. It’s a mystery”