Suarez threatens Maradona’s record

Apart from the overriding aim of beating Real Madrid on Saturday in the El Clasico, Luis Suarez can pass a major career milestone by scoring his 39th goal for Barcelona and passing Diego Maradona's goals tally.

Argentina legend Maradona scored 38 goals in his two seasons at the club, while Romario found the back of the net 39 times.

When Suarez so nearly dragged Liverpool to the Premier League title two seasons ago, some saw a similarity between what he was achieving and what Maradona had achieved at Napoli.

It was also Maradona who, at the end of that season, donned a “Luisito we are with you” t-shirt to support the striker after he had been sent home from the World Cup and banned for four months for biting Italian defender Giorgio Chiellini.

Now 'little Luis' is leaving Diego in his wake as he continues to thrive at the Nou Camp. Romario will be his next victim. His 39 goals came in 66 games from 1993 to 1994. Suarez is currently on 38 goals in 60 games.

The speed at which Suarez has racked up his tally is surprising. In recent years great strikers signed by Barcelona have struggled to match the goalscoring feats their achieved elsewhere.

The Argentine's frightening numbers have tended to mean a slight fall in productivity from anyone who has played alongside him and it was almost taken for granted that the same would happen with Suarez.

At Liverpool he scored 69 league goals in 110 games. At Barca the scoring ratio has been even more impressive. And that hasn't been the only thing that has surprised Barca fans.

He came with a reputation for controversy. Many were sceptical about bringing a player to the club who had been banned for biting three times and would not be able to start the season because of his latest suspension.

—Daily Mail