Suarez is world's best striker - No Messi and no Neymar

No Lionel Messi, no Neymar, no matter. Luis Suarez stole the show for Barcelona as the Catalans eased past Guangzhou Evergrande in the semi-finals of the Club World Cup on Thursday. In the absence of the game's two finest footballers in 2015, the Uruguayan showed he is the best centre-forward around.

Suarez struggled for goals at the beginning of his Camp Nou career, but really got going after Christmas and ended the campaign with 25 in 43 games en route to the club's treble triumph. It was an impressive return and aside from scoring, he does so much more for the team.

"Suarez gives us a lot," Luis Enrique said in October. "What he gives us is priceless, non-negotiable. He gives us power inside the box, he's irreplaceable. And he does a lot of good defensive work as well."

And he scores goals, of course. The Uruguayan now has 22 in just 23 games in 2015-16 (and 15 in his last 10 appearances) to close in on his mark from last season with over half of the campaign still ahead. At his current rate, he is on target to net 50 goals or more this term.

Against Guangzhou, he was the go-to guy for Barca after Neymar was ruled out through injury and Messi missed the match with kidney stones.

Luis Enrique's men took time to find their rhythm against a defensive Guangzhou, but Suarez scored the opener six minutes before half-time with a typically opportunistic effort after goalkeeper Li Shuai could only parry a stinging drive by Ivan Rakitic.

And five minutes after the interval, he added another with a fantastic finish after playing a one-two with Andres Iniesta, chesting the ball down and smashing it into the far corner.

He then completed his hat-trick from the penalty spot later on (after Munir El Haddadi had dived in the area) to become the first player ever to score a treble in a Club World Cup and seal a place in the final against River Plate on Sunday.

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Suarez could consider himself unfortunate to be left off the list of three candidates shortlisted for the Ballon d'Or recently, with Neymar claiming that all three of Barca's 'MSN' trident should have made up the nominations for the prestigious prize which will be awarded in Zurich next month.

"I believe it should have been Messi, Luis Suarez and me for the Ballon d'Or," the Brazilian forward said recently. "I would have loved to be there all together." 

And after Suarez struck Barca's goal in the 1-1 draw against Valencia at Mestalla on December 5, midfielder Sergio Busquets said he thought the striker was out on his own with Bayern Munich centre-forward Robert Lewandowski.

"Luis is so important to us," he said. "I believe that, along with Lewandowski, he is the best striker there is. It's not just his goals, but so much more."

Lewandowski is on fine form in the current campaign as well and has netted 23 goals in his 25 games for Bayern in all competitions, but Suarez has given Barca another dimension since signing from Liverpool last year.

"Suarez gives Barca the aggression that is so important in the attacking third," Diego Simeone told Goal in an exclusive columns last season. "The attacking potential of Suarez is an added plus for Barca – and for Lionel – and his aggression, along with that of Neymar, allows Messi to take advantage of that sacrifice from his team-mates."

But with Messi missing through injury earlier in 2015-16 and absent again along with Neymar on Thursday, Suarez showed that he can step up and take the lead for Barca.

Practically any club in the world would like to have just one of Barca's famed forward line. And on Thursday, Barca did have only one of them, but it was still more than enough. Because Suarez is now the world's finest centre-forward - and he's getting better and better all the time.