Playing for 90
Fansided

Barcelona’s Luis Suarez was La Liga’s best player

By Tarek Hisham

GRANADA, SPAIN - MAY 14: (EDITORS NOTE: This image has been processed using digitals filters.) Luis Suarez of FC Barcelona celebrates scoring his team's second during the La Liga match between Granada CF and FC Barcelona at Estadio Nuevo Los Carmenes on May 14, 2016 in Granada, Spain. (Photo by Manuel Queimadelos Alonso/Getty Images)
GRANADA, SPAIN - MAY 14: (EDITORS NOTE: This image has been processed using digitals filters.) Luis Suarez of FC Barcelona celebrates scoring his team's second during the La Liga match between Granada CF and FC Barcelona at Estadio Nuevo Los Carmenes on May 14, 2016 in Granada, Spain. (Photo by Manuel Queimadelos Alonso/Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit

FC Barcelona forward Luis Suarez topped the goal charts in La Liga this season and was the best player in Spain all year

Barcelona lifted the La Liga trophy this weekend with a comprehensive victory against Granada but it never should have come down to the final weekend. The Blaugrana were on cruise control, having virtually locked up the league title with months to go and on their way to a potential repeat in the Champions League.

Then in March and April, the season was teetering on the edge of disaster. They were unceremoniously dumped out of the Champions League by a resilient Atletico Madrid and results were not going their way domestically.

All of a sudden the attacking trio of Messi, Neymar, and Suarez looked tired and questions about how many matches they played and their ability to stand up to such heavy use were being asked. Barcelona endured a nightmare stretch where they drew once, lost three times including defeats to Valencia and 10-man Real Madrid, and felt their grip on first place slipping.

More from Playing for 90

In the midst of that was the loss to Atleti in Europe and alarm bells were ringing around the Camp Nou. With a crunch match against Deportivo La Coruna coming up, Barcelona’s hero emerged and his name was Luis Suarez.

The Uruguayan forward was already having a wonderful season for the Blaugrana but he pulled Barca from the fire and it started against Deportivo. Suarez scored four goals including the two openers in a 8-0 rout and righted the ship.

In Barcelona’s last five games of the league season, Suarez scored an incredible 14 goals and added four assists to help fight off the late title charge of the two Madrid sides. With the pressure on in the final match and all left to play for, Suarez scored a hat-trick against Granada and Barcelona were crowned champions.

The enigmatic forward has found a true home in Barcelona and appears to have settled in nicely away from the notorious English press. He quickly adapted to his new surroundings and has done so well that he beat out Cristiano Ronaldo to the Golden Boot with 40 goals.

Suarez also scored 21 goals in other competitions to add to that tally and notched 22 assists in all competitions. The striker has proven time and time again that he is among the best in the world and is arguably the best forward in the world.

Next: Marquinhos to Barcelona?

Cristiano Ronaldo and Antoine Griezmann both had excellent seasons for their respective clubs but the honor of best player in La Liga belongs to Suarez and no one else. Barcelona fans should thank their lucky stars that the club gambled on him and his “issues” in 2014.

Home/FC Barcelona