At Barcelona it's the "tridente," the MSN. Formed by the trio of Lionel Messi, Neymar and today's birthday boy, Luis Suarez. Yes, Gerard Pique is such a force of nature that in the few minutes before the training session starts, it's quite feasible to see him larking about, teasing or talking animatedly to (or at) someone but that aside, it's always MSN's "taking the stage" that is most interesting.
At Barcelona, his other great success is letting the thinking, calculating, processing part of his brain become dominant over the pit bull part of his fight-or-flight mechanism. Not only has he behaved -- with no major incidents and a booking just over every five games -- he has benefitted from not feeling like he did with Ajax, Liverpool and Uruguay, where he bore almost sole responsibility for the "big" goal tally.
Understanding that he's part of a triumvirate, but also that the football ecosystem at Barcelona is totally different, has been terrific for his mentality.
"Playing at Ajax taught me about European football, England taught me about adapting to football at high velocity. But when you get to Barcelona, it's all completely different," he told El Pais.
"It's not so physical here, but it demands intelligence. You have to see the move early and be sharper to get to the right place before your opponent. You've got to think better than them, be sharper than them -- it's hugely demanding."
It's hugely rewarding, too. His new contract is aimed at keeping him until the summer of 2021 by which time, if he completes it, he'll be 34.
Well-paid, professionally content, with his son and Messi's son currently great friends and schoolmates, he's the cutting edge which this particular Barcelona side badly needs.
Happy birthday, Luis Suarez. You're a lucky man.
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