3 reasons why Barcelona retaining the LaLiga title is improbable
The Catalan giants have been a top force in all competitions, but their European glory days seem to have vanished, as their direct rivals Real Madrid have won three back to back UEFA Champions League titles.
But Barcelona have been more consistent and stable than Los Blancos domestically, with the Catalan team winning the domestic double almost every other year.
This year's transfer window has been impressive for Barcelona, as they have brought in quality reinforcements to compete for all the three titles. The likes of Vidal, Lenglet, Arthur, and Malcom will offer immense squad depth, and this certainly is a plus point for the Catalan side.
However, there are still some reasons why Barcelona will fail to lift the LaLiga title this year, and this brings me to my first point on the article.
#3 Out of form Luis Suarez
It is pretty clear that Leo Messi has been doing the work of two forwards for a few seasons now, with Luis Suarez looking to be nowhere near his best. His conversion rate has been pretty disappointing, though he has scored plenty of goals since he joined the Catalan side.
Luis scored a staggering 59 goals in his second season for Barcelona, with 24 assists to his name. It was a prodigious year for all the Cules and Barcelona players.
However, Suarez has not been able to cross the 30 goal-mark since then, and his contributions in the UCL games have been minimal.
One can claim that nearly 30 goals a season is a remarkable achievement for any striker. But Suarez is certainly levels above when he is at his best, and with the likes of Messi and Iniesta, he should have put the ball in the net plenty of more times.
The new season has arrived, and the 2 games have not really been 'good' for Suarez. With Paco Alcacer leaving for Dortmund, there is no proper substitute for Suarez. I doubt if Barcelona will be clinical up front, and this can turn out to be one of the reasons why they will suffer against bus parking teams, and eventually lose.
All stats via transfermarkt