In the pre-match press conference ahead of Barcelona's Champions League clash against Lyon, much of the talk centred on the Catalans' disappointing defeat and exit in last season's competition against Roma.

Coach Ernesto Valverde and midfielder Sergio Busquets were asked a series of questions about the 3-0 loss at the Stadio Olimpico. How can Barca learn? Have they talked about it? How can a repeat be avoided? And so on.

But another Champions League game away to Roma is also significant: a 1-1 draw at the Stadio Olimpico in the group stages on September 16th, 2015. Why? Because it was the last time Luis Suarez scored away from home for the Catalan club in Europe.

That may sound surprising and it is: Suarez is one of the world's finest forwards and Barca's attack is one of Europe's best, if not the pick of them all. Yet the Uruguayan has struggled in the Champions League, especially on the road, and has not scored away from home in the continental competition for 1,252 days.

The South American is also under pressure following a calamitous cameo in Barcelona's 1-0 win over Valladolid on Saturday, when he came off the bench to squander three glorious opportunities in the final half hour.

"When Suarez is on the pitch, we know he's going to have opportunities and the rival knows he's going to have them," Valverde said on Monday when asked about the Uruguayan's missed chances at the weekend. "We expect the best version of Luis Suarez. He is so important because of what he generates around him and what he creates for himself."

After hitting seven goals en route to the Champions League crown as Barca won the treble in his debut season in 2014-15, Suarez netted eight in the continental competition in 2015-16, but has only four goals in his 23 appearances in Europe since then.

The Uruguayan scored three in nine games in 2016-17, just one in 10 last season and is yet to convert in the Champions League in the current campaign, having played four times so far.

But with no top-quality back-up striker at the club after Paco Alcacer left in the summer and Munir El Haddadi departed in January, leaving winter signing Kevin-Prince Boateng — who is not a traditional centre-forward and also failed to impress against Valladolid — as his understudy, Barcelona badly need Suarez to find his feet again in the Champions League if they are to make a credible challenge for the trophy in 2018-19.

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On Tuesday, he will have another chance to end his scoring drought on the road in Europe.