Upon making his much publicised switch to La Liga this summer, Luis Suarez’s reported £75million move to Barcelona was met with much anticipation to say the very least.

Fresh from his third major episode of ‘bite-gate’ at the World Cup, the Uruguayan forward was believed to be in the form of his life and able to waltz straight into any team that would give him the opportunity to play. Along with Neymar, whose arrival at the Camp Nou also created a similar stir, the signing of Suarez marked a slight shift in attitude from the Barca bosses, who don’t usually wear the ‘Galacticos’ style spending cap as often as arch rivals Real Madrid do.

Not everyone involved with Barcelona greeted the news with open arms however, as club legend Johan Cruyff, was perhaps surprisingly not entirely comfortable with the deal and its subsequent meaning for the inevitable La Liga title contenders.

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Now that this season’s Spanish top flight has had the chance to develop and blossom with its new set of characters on board, how have Cruyff’s words impacted Barcelona in 2014/15, and is his prophecy actually starting to ring true for Luis Enrique’s current side?

Speaking to Dutch paper De Telegraaf after the deal to land Luis Suarez was finally completed, the former Netherlands no. 14 took a different approach to the move when compared with the rest of football’s tub-thumping voices:

“I can’t see how Barça intend to continue playing the same way, with a keen focus on team play if Messi, Neymar and Luis Suárez are in the side.

“The three of them are too individual. In signing him, the club are showing a preference for individual genius over a team that plays great football.”

While his words may have fallen on deaf ears at the time, Cruyff raised an important point that will soon be at the forefront of Barcelona fans’ minds throughout the world. Yes – their side currently sit one place behind top spot in La Liga, Luis Enrique’s defensive record has simply been amazing this season, and the Champions League still remains a realistic target for Messi and co. come May – but Barcelona have nevertheless remained in the shadow of Real Madrid so far this campaign.

Although the difference between the two sides is certainly small, the difference has still been a present factor so far this season, and seeing as this rivalry remains one of the most heated and enjoyed disputes throughout European football, any gap between the two clubs is enough to worry about.

Barcelona just haven’t been the side that stole the scene under Pep Guardiola and Frank Rijkaard before him. With the addition of more foreign faces in the side, such as Neymar and Luis Suarez, the likes of Andres Iniesta have had to make do with a background role in order for new big names to take centre-stage. Xavi’s imminent retirement has also done no favours for the declining team aspect to Barca’s play, and with more and more new tactics and styles taken on by the Catalans in recent months, the Barcelona of old seem to be fading with every passing match.

With Suarez and Neymar both on board, Cruyff has pointed out that the balance in the team’s structure has been thrown completely off kilter. Lionel Messi is no longer the main-man in Barca’s attacking set-up, and while their new signings are by no means bad players, their appearance in the famous red & blue strip just don’t seem to fit with the club’s philosophy.

Barcelona’s team used to rely on lightening quick Tiki-Taka moves that saw defences beaten within a blink of an eye. Nearly every player would be involved as their side rose to greater and greater heights. Nowadays, Neymar and co. take on mazy individual runs that cut through their own teammates as well as the opposition, but with often varying results. Yes – this is an aspect that Lionel Messi has built his game around, but giving that responsibility to the silky Argentine alone would work as the perfect formula in previous set-ups.

It seems too many cooks really do spoil the broth, even when the thought of Barca ever leaving their lofty perch was previously an unthinkable scenario. While the La Liga giants still hold their status in Europe and will remain an ever-formidable side, it seems that their old route to success is seemingly being ignored, and as Johan Cruyff really was way ahead of his time on the pitch, perhaps the impact of the Dutchman’s words are still yet to reach their pinnacle.

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