Suarez and El Clasico

                For every Barcelona or Real Madrid fan, there is one fixture that trumps all others and is the most popular between these two teams; El Clasico. The rivalry between the two sides is great, and when they meet in the season, the game becomes one of, if not, the most important games in the season for the teams. The fans of the two Spanish giants thrive off of the opposition between the sides, and losing to the other team would be an utter disgrace to either team. Just one piece of the puzzle has been missing from Barcelona this season, and that is Luis Suarez, out on a four month ban from the World Cup this summer. The timing of when that ban runs out could not be more perfect, or wrong, depending on which side you support. The first game that Suarez will be eligible for with Barcelona is for that perfect game, against Real Madrid.

            The main question that most people have about the game is what role Suarez will play, if he even takes the field at all. The concern of whether he should play or not begins with the fact that he hasn’t played any real competitive games since June. While Suarez has played with the Barcelona B team this season and will have played two friendlies with Uruguay by the Clasico, many fear that he may have lost his edge, or at least forgotten it for the time being, and will need to get back into things. I feel that, since he has remained in training and has played some minor matches, Suarez should be in good condition for the Real Madrid matchup. Unlike an injured player, Suarez has been able to work with the ball and his teammates and should be physically and mostly mentally ready. Also, after four months on the sideline, Suarez should have plenty of motivation built up.

            Many also question whether or not he should start or be subbed in later in the game, or if he should be eased into things throughout later games. With his performance at Liverpool last season, Suarez should be able to be an impact player, and should tremendously add to the Barcelona score sheet. Players like Pedro have filled in his gap so far this season, and have done enough, but have not made much of an impact. However, they do have the experience of the season to date, and I believe that Suarez will not start the game, but will rather come in later to cause trouble for Real Madrid in their defense. While Suarez should definitely be ready to play in the game, I feel that he should be used, in this case, as a player to be subbed in partway through the game to create more opportunities going forward.