Manchester United vs Barcelona: Luis Suarez returns to Old Trafford a changed man recapturing his peak

No one would ever accuse Luis Suarez of being any way sensitive, but those that know him do feel that one regular jibe at least provoked a reaction.

The Uruguayan’s nickname in the Barcelona dressing room is ‘Gordo’ - fat one - for his chunkier build. While he always took it as a bit of a laugh, he did get a bit more conscious when his weight began to get more consistently mentioned in the media, especially at the start of the season.

Sources close to Suarez believe that meant he also got more conscious of his fitness, and - at 32 - the need to adapt and alter his game and his body.

The result has probably been his best spell of performance since at least 2015-16, and maybe his triumphant first treble-winning season at Barca in 2014-15. Suarez has just surged into form over the past few weeks, and almost overshadowed Lionel Messi, with a series of clutch goals.

The impossibly brilliant late strike to put them 1-0 up against Atletico Madrid on Saturday, and effectively secure the title, only brought all this to a peak - both in terms of importance and quality.

It’s some timing, and not just because the feeling up until very recently was that Barca should look to replace him, and that his time at the top was up. So much for that.

More immediately, this is exactly the level of performance he’d idealise being at ahead of a return to Old Trafford, a stadium that will always give him worse abuse than for his weight.

Most of that goes back to the lingering distaste left by the disgraceful controversy with Patrice Evra in 2011-12, when a three-man FA panel found Suarez guilty of racially abusing the Manchester United left-back.

The forward has always disputed the punishment, and there is the danger that his acrimonious relationship with the Old Trafford crowd could ignite anew on Wednesday.

Those that know him do say he is a much more mature figure now than half a decade ago, and point to how he doesn’t even get involved in flash points. The shocking biting incidents are a thing of the past.

He’s too happy at Barcelona, too motivated by glory. He doesn’t feel unfulfilled. This was his dream move, and it’s generally worked out as well as expected.

But the key is he’s now defying expectation.

Many felt his time at Barca was up, and supporters were ready to replace him with someone newer and shinier.

It is pointed in that regard that Suarez on Saturday so overshadowed Antoine Griezmann, whose name is being put forward as a potential Barca signing again.

There is an argument that, good as the French star is, he has never reached the levels that Suarez has at his peak. It is a peak he has got back to.

What is also so crucial is how well he’s linking up with Messi again. Their great friendship has always given Suarez an elevated place in the Barca dressing room, but anyone that felt it would protect him from a sale has been disabused of that notion. No protection is required. Suarez has changed the discussion around himself, and also changed some of the discussion around Barca.

Over the last two decades, and largely because of the nature of Johan Cruyff’s ingrained 3-4-3 formation, the talk has always been of attacking tridents.

Now, it’s very much a double act. Suarez and Messi have a level of cohesion and understanding that few can hope to match.

Few teams can hope to match it. They’ve together scored 53 goals in the league this season, more than 18 other La Liga clubs have managed.

Suarez has shown that, even if he can’t quite reproduce the rampaging running that United did repeatedly suffer in the past on a few occasions, his finishing remains as good as ever. His workrate remains as good as ever, and is something Ernesto Valverde has been especially pleased with.

It means Old Trafford will be even less pleased to see him on Wednesday. There’s the distasteful past, but also the brilliant present.