Tuesday Champions league round of 16 first leg encounter saw Spanish Champions Barcelona held to a 0-0 draw by Lyon. The result is a clear message that it's not gonna be a rollercoaster ride for the Spanish side, and if they must pass through Lyon to the next round, then they must work for it.

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It's as if the visitors had declared their Tuesday encounter with Lyon a "goal free day," as Valverde's side took pleasure in being wasteful. That profligacy meant that the Messi led team have slumped to a fourth draw in five games across all competitions.

Yah, we all know that Barcelona is currently not at their best, however, their ordeal in Champions league away games, especially at knockout stages is beginning to make me wonder. The catalan giants had once again played to convention, as they remain winless in their last six Champions league away knockout matches.

They have gotten two draws and have lost four of the games, and also failing to find the net in five of those outings. With Messi unable to pull those match winning stunts that is now typical of him, Barcelona were seen barely struggling to hold their breath.

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Barcelona controlled Possession in the first half as we would have expected, that's not knew to anyone. However, they owe their goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen an ovation. The team created some wonderful opportunities to keep the fans on high hopes, but it took two awesome early saves by the goalkeeper to prevent Lyon from taking the lead.

The second half came with a more tensed atmosphere, as the host came all out to hunt Barcelona, forcing their presumed assailants to be a bit unsettled. In fact Barcelona for me were the luckiest of the night, as they would be contented with the fact that they will not be starting their second leg encounter on the 13th of March with a goal down, when they host Lyon at the Camp Nou.

Lyon were up and motivated to shock Barcelona, and the break seemed to have giving them time to restrategise against the Catalan giants. A 20 yards early strike in the second half from Memphis Depay was enough to send signal that Lyon won't allow Barcelona humiliate them in front of their home fans. Despite Lyon's trials to pull some surprising stunts, Barcelona showed their class and made sure they forced Lyon's goalkeeper Anthony Lopes into making some awesome saves.

Twice he stopped Luis Suarez and even thwarted Sergio Busquest goal bound effort in the last 20 minutes to maintain a clean sheet. With him in between the sticks for Lyon, the French side have little to worry about. The draw was nothing unusual for the French side, as they have drawn their last six Champions League matches. The result also meant that they have failed to beat Barcelona in their last seven champions league encounters(three draws and four losses).

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Is It Not Yet Time Suarez Resigned From Barcelona?

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I can still recall Barcelona's captain Lionel Messi saying how the team was hungry for a European Silverware this season, and thus far the team have shown readiness to contend for the biggest Club trophy in Europe. The Argentine has been outstanding in almost all Barcelona's Champions league games in this campaign, and without his motivation and masterful displays, only the gods knows how far the Spanish Champions will go in their quest.

Well, they haven't been much need to worry, in as much as Messi's brilliance alone is getting them the winnings, everyone is free from scrutin or criticism. However, the Argentine is currently performing below his standards since picking up a slight injury against Valencia in a match that ended 2-2. This slack have affected the team's general performance especially in scoring goals and has brought to the fore the shortcomings of Luis Suarez.

No doubt, the Uruguayan forward is a prolific striker and one of the most dreaded in Europe. You just have to give Suarez that respect. However, the Veteran Barcelona No.9 have lost his touch of class and the dread that made him a threat to any defense in the world. His inability to get goals in the Champions league for Barcelona is a growing pain in my heart, and as a Barcelona fan, I really want him to scoring goals. His form is beginning to make everyone cast doubts on his ability to fire Barcelona into the next round.

Well, the forward hasn't been able to find the back of the net in his last five games, that's certainly not an awesome result for a man leading Barcelona's attack. But his form is even more worrisome when we look at his European scoring form. The forward is still scoreless in the Champions league this season and has only been able to net just "a goal" in his 17 outings in the Competition.

However, despite the Uruguayan's horrible champions league form, Ernesto Valverde is too bothered about that, as he still reposes confidence on the forward. "I would worry if he did not generate scoring chances, which is what is asked of a striker," Valverde told reporters. He always has chances and if not, he generates them and is a headache for the rival. And, in any case, he is linked well with the occasions we've created. Football is a matter of success. If the opposition wastes occasions I get nervous; if we waste them, it only bothers me."

I think it's high time Barcelona started exploring their options for a replacement. For me, Suarez has paid his dues in Barcelona and it's only nice if he bows out now that the ovation is still high. What's your take on that?