El Clasico: Suarez to shine or sin?

24 October 2014 09:53

This season's first El Clasico has some added spice to it, in the form of controversial striker Luis Suarez. The Uruguayan has finally completely his lengthy ban from the world cup and will return to the game playing for a completely new team, in the biggest game in Spanish football, possibly the world.

There is no doubting Suarez's ability, as the football world has been trembling at the thought of how much damage Barcelona's attack could cause. The trio of Messi, Neymar and Suarez is something opposition sides have nightmares about, and is the stuff of every fans dream.

Controversies aside, Suarez himself is a legitimately world-class player, as he proved during his time with Liverpool. The skilful forward has been likened to now team Lionel Messi. The trickery, the pace, the low centre of gravity. This is what makes the partnership so mouth-watering, and the first big clash of the season unmissable.

This is obviously new breeding ground for a renewed rivalry, as well as gold dust for the media. For years the world has centred around the Ronaldo vs Messi debate, now The Portugal captain will have to compete with another trail-blazer. Although the rivalry has never seemed to bother the two footballing giants, with another superstar on their books it could finally shift the balance and set the competition alight like never before.

Of course, no player on either team has probably been through a topsy turvy career like Suarez himself. A player with relentless ability. A game changer. A dying hunger for success, yet that same hunger apparently comes at a price. Biting three different opponents throughout his career, racially abusing a rival player and even playing the villain during the World Cup in South Africa with a last minute handball against Ghana. the rest is history.

All that aside, this is the most hostile game to come back to. Away to Real Madrid at the historic Bernabeu. The atmosphere alone is consuming enough without the added injection of Suarez. However, is would be the perfect way to silence his critics and prove that he is indeed a player the world should admire, if he can behave himself, that is.

It's a guessing game as to how much time he will get. For him to start maybe jumping in at the deep end, but it is a dream for the global market. If he comes on from the bench, when exactly do you bring him on? Say Barcelona are winning comfortably, do they risk bringing him into the gladiator-esque environment where the pressure could boil over and another biting incident occurs? Of course, any other scenario you would instantly introduce him, but there is always that risk it could go horribly wrong. Then again, a club of Barcelona's calibre have probably gone over it dozen times.

Whatever happens, the football world will once again witness the revival of a truly exceptional player, even if he isn't every one's cup of tea. No doubt bookies are already slashing odds on him chomping down on a Galactico at some point.

Ronaldo and co, Beware.

Source: DSG