Can Luis Suarez, Lionel Messi and Neymar Deliver 2015 Honours?

Prior to Barcelona’s recent La Liga game against Atletico Madrid, the Catalan club struck something of an enigma. Sitting second in the league and having advanced serenely through the Champions League and Copa Del Rey, the club would appear at first glance to be in prime position to achieve success. Delve deeper, however, and you would see a club riddled with inconsistent performances, struggling with a transfer embargo and a supposed breakdown in the relationship between Lionel Messi and manage Luis Enrique.

As ever, the truth about Barcelona’s current standing probably sits somewhere between these two extremes. The performance of the club in a vibrant 3-1 win over Diego Simeone’s obdurate Atletico side helped to assuage many of the doubters, for example, while Messi also provided a compelling display laced with sublime skill, ruthless finishing and aggression. The players have continued to perform and pull together since that day, having recorded an impressive 9-0 aggregate win against in the Copa Del Rey and a 4-0 victory at Deportivo.

The Transfer Embargo and the form of Luis Suarez

Despite this, there remain some reasons for caution at this pivotal stage of the season. The transfer embargo is a particularly large concern, as the club’s failed appeal against a FIFA sanction last summer means that they are unable to sign players until January 2016. While their lawyers are working on ways to circumvent these restrictions, at present the club is unable to add to its squad or bring in new talent. With league rivals Madrid in imperious form and set to add talented Norwegian youngster Martin Odegaard to their ranks, there is the chance that Barcelona could lose ground at the top of La Liga.

The form of Luis Suarez is also a concern, with the striker having scored just three times in thirteen appearances to date. He missed a glaring opportunity in this weeks’ tense, first leg victory in the Copa Del Rey quarter-final against Atletico, and has yet to rediscover the stellar form that secured him a £75 million move from Liverpool. His endeavour cannot be questioned, however, and there are signs that the diverse and incredibly talented front three of Suarez, Neymar and Lionel Messi is finally starting to click into gear.

The sight of this forward line clicking into gear would strike fear into the heart of any team, and such fire power has the potential to lead the Catalan giants to success this season. So while you may need to wait a while to create your own transfer rumour or celebrate a new Barcelona signing, it may be a short few months before the club is lifting silverware once again.