Luis Suarez is the latest Barcelona star with a calf injury
Luis Suarez is heading into what could be his final season with Barcelona, and the Uruguayan striker suffered a calf injury in the team’s league opener against Athletic Bilbao.
Barcelona were already missing superstar forward Lionel Messi for La Liga Matchday 1 against Athletic Bilbao, as he is nursing a calf injury. Messi should be able to return to the lineup relatively soon, but Barca now have to cope with an injury to starting striker Luis Suarez.
The Uruguayan appeared to tweak his right calf muscle before missing a sitter that hit the post in the first half, and he was subbed off in the 37th minute for Rafinha. This marks the first time that Suarez has been substituted in the first half of a game since joining Barcelona five years ago, and it’s a testament to his status as an iron man in the Barca lineup.
Barcelona would go on to lose the game against Bilbao 1-0, despite holding 73 percent possession. They were undone in the 89th minute by veteran striker Aritz Aduriz, who stole all three points for the home side.
Per Barcelona’s official Twitter account, Suarez will undergo more tests on Saturday to determine the extent of his injury. In his place, Barcelona would presumably start Antoine Griezmann, Ousmane Dembele and Messi as the main forward, with either Messi playing as a false nine or Griezmann starting at striker. The latter is more likely, though all three attackers would interchange fluidly. Barcelona continue to be interested in PSG’s Neymar, so it’s entirely possible Suarez gets less playing time than in years past once he returns from this injury.
Next. How exciting will La Liga be this season?. dark
Hopefully Suarez’s injury isn’t serious and it’s just a minor calf issue. The 32-year-old has been under a microscope after last season’s mediocre campaign, but he still has something to give Barcelona in what could be his last season for the club. Suarez has been linked with a move to David Beckham’s Inter Miami in the MLS, but he’ll want to have a healthy, productive final year in Barcelona after becoming a true star for La Liga’s usual champions.