Barcelona coach Luis Enrique has said that Luis Suarez showed why the team bought him as the Uruguayan scored twice in his side's 2-1 win over Atletico Madrid in Tuesday's Champions League quarterfinal first leg at the Camp Nou.
Atletico took a shock lead through Fernando Torres on 25 minutes, but within nine minutes the ex-Liverpool striker had picked up two quick yellow cards and been sent off.
Barca dominated in the second half and made the most of their extra man with the two Suarez goals giving them the win and a narrow advantage ahead of next Wednesday's return game at Atletico's Estadio Vicente Calderon.
The Blaugrana coach told his postgame news conference that his team had reacted well to a difficult situation in the game and by the end could have won by more than just one goal.
"Atletico created one chance in first half, great action from Torres and Koke," Luis Enrique said. "That created a greater feeling of difficulty. That changed from the sending off, and in the second half we were able to control the ball and move it around well, we built collective moves, moved the ball at a very good pace.
"We had many players to shoot and we hemmed in a team like Atletico, even with 10, that is very difficult. We kept our balance and attacked intelligently. I would have liked to score another goal, I believe we deserved it, we had many chances and a good few clear ones."
Asked about the decision making which saw German referee Felix Brych send off Atletico's Torres but just show a yellow card to Barca's Suarez for a hard foul, Luis Enrique admitted Colchoneros fans would feel hard done by.
"I saw [Torres yellow cards] like all Barca fans, they were both super clear," he said. "Atletico will see other incidents from our players which deserve punishment. There can be different options, that always happens in football. The referee is there to make those decisions."
All aspects of Suarez's performance had shown why Barca spent €80 million to sign him from Liverpool in summer 2014, Luis Enrique said.
"Today was the game when he did not have to open spaces, but to get between their centre-backs and get shots in," he said. "What Luis Suarez does for us, not just his goals, but his work and character, is why we decided to sign him."
Luis Enrique said he was happy with how Barca had bounced back from their 39-game unbeaten streak ending in Saturday's La Liga clasico defeat to Real Madrid.
"I am very happy with the win," he said. "After so many games winning we lost one the other day, and many thought the legs would tremble. But we are confident, these players have been at a very good level for many years."
Barca will definitely not be going to the Calderon to just try and protect their 2-1 advantage in the tie, Luis Enrique said.
"We just think about winning the game, and we will do the same at the Calderon," he said. "We will not go there to defend a result. We just want to win the game, with these players we have.
"We will find a spectacular stadium with Atletico fans. But it is a marvellous situation to demonstrate we are the best."
Barcelona midfielder Javier Mascherano believes the win will give he and his teammates the required focus to progress at the Vicente Calderon.
He said: "We know we have to go to Madrid to do our work and will try to do our same work as we did in the second half, which is the way to try to go to the semifinals.
"We had some clear chances to score another goal, but the main target before the game was to win and we will try to do that again in Madrid.
"We are focused in the game for the semifinals and will do everything to get there."