Luis Suarez always bounces back after a slow start

Doubting Luis Suarez is synonymous with eating a big slice of humble pie. Season after season the Uruguayan bounces back, even if some are trying to retire him before his time. A big mistake.

Luisito goes from less to more during the season. He sometimes starts slow. And this season hitting three in six isn’t even that bad, with an injury too. He’s scored a goal every 138 minutes.

A player who has 180 goals for Barcelona in 253 games across six seasons is hard to reproach. He brushes off the criticism and improves at his own rate.

2014-15: 1 goal in first 6 games

He arrived after his ban from world football after biting Georgio Chiellini in the World Cup. Arriving at a new team under those circumstances were hard. He netted his first goal in the Champions League, in a 4-0 win at Apoel Nicosia. Suarez ended up with 25 in 43 games.

2015-16: 2 goals in first 6 games

This was his best season in terms of scoring, hitting 59 in 53, winning the Golden Shoe. 40 of them came in La Liga.

2016-17: 6 goals in first 6 games

This was Suarez’s best start. Netted in the Spanish Super Cup and hit a hat-trick in La Liga on the team’s debut, against Betis (6-2). Then notched a double at Celtic as Barca won 7-0. He ended up with 31 goals in 51 games.

2017-18: 1 goal in first 6 games

Suarez’s hardest start along with his debut campaign. Had a knee problem which troubled him. Barca lost the Super Cup against Real Madrid. He did score in his first league game, a 5-0 win over Celt Vigo. Improved through the season and won the double in Valverde’s first season, hitting two in the cup final win over Sevilla.

2018-19: 3 goals in first 6 games

The same as this season. Didn’t score in the Super Cup win over Sevilla, but did hit a double against Huesca in the 8-2 win. Didn’t score in the UCL until the semifinals, but did provide six assists for team-mates in that competition.

2019-20: 3 goals in first 6 games

Went off injured in the opening game, missing clashes with Betis and Osasuna. Reappeared against Valencia and hit two goals in half an hour. Notched against Getafe. It’s hardly a crisis and Suarez is accustomed to bouncing back.