From the second he put pen to paper on a bumper contract with Barcelona last summer, Luis Suarez will have been aware that he was going to play a secondary role at the Nou Camp.

The mercurial Lionel Messi is a deistic figure in Catalonia after all and the Uruguayan—nor would any player on this earth—wouldn’t be able dislodge the Argentine from that position of eminent privilege.

But it’s a secondary role Suarez seems to be relishing and as the former Liverpool man notched a brace to compliment Messi’s hat trick in a 6-1 win for the Blaugrana over Rayo Vallecano, it was clear that while he’s playing a supporting act, it’s one which he’s growing into.

It’s encouraging given that this was always going to be the biggest challenge for Suarez on the back of his big money move. Following on from his attempt at being a one-man wrecking ball in the Premier League for Liverpool in the previous season, relinquishing some responsibility was always going to be a difficult task for a player who harbors an unashamed desire to be at the heart of everything.

Doing so after a substantial ban from the game only compounded matters for Suarez as he sought to integrate and immerse himself in a unique footballing culture as well as a bespoke set of stylistic principles. As former Blaugrana star Thierry Henry noted recently on Sky Sports, playing for the Camp Nou club is like learning a completely different sport.

So there have been extenuating circumstances hampering Suarez as he looks to find his feet in this hotbed of soccer fervency. Some that have admittedly manifested because of his own undesirable actions, but there are obstacles to overcome that are unique to this his new club and ones that some of the game’s most talented figurers have struggled to conquer.

With that in mind, for the Uruguayan to have notched 13 goals and 10 assists in 21 appearances is an admirable achievement. While the goals weren’t flowing in the early days of his Blaugrana career and the sharpness wasn’t quite there, Suarez was still making an impact in matches; he set-up a Neymar four minutes into his debut, against Real Madrid at the Santiago Bernabeu no less.

But a flurry of assists masked the fact he was far from his very best. The Uruguayan was heavy-footed, his touch was loose and his clear willingness to be less selfish with the ball at his feet was hurting his goal return—Suarez netted just once in his first eight games for Barcelona. However, his insatiable desire to win back possession, hassle opponents and career after lost causes enamored him to Barcelonistas and helped Messi thrive.

Now, a little leaner and a bit more battle-hardened, he’s thriving too. The two goals against Manchester City were enormous for the Blaugrana and that brace at the Etihad prompted a run of six goals and an assist in four games for the 28-year-old. The patented ferocity off the ball remains prevalent, but at the point of the attack Suarez has rediscovered the ruthless incision that made him such a massive threat at Anfield.

The encouraging thing for all those of a red and blue persuasion is that there remains potential for the No. 9 take his game on further. Twice during the clash with Rayo Suarez tried to set up Messi when he could have easily finished himself; the second instance was after the genial Argentine had already completed his hat trick, no less.

Of course, Suarez won’t go wrong trying to put goals on a plate for the Nou Camp’s celestial star, but he needs to find a balance between his new-found altruism in Catalonia and the unerring obligation to shoulder the bulk of responsibility that was a hallmark of his playing style on Merseyside.

That will surely come as the Uruguayan becomes increasingly immersed in the bespoke doctrines of this wonderful football club, but in what remains the relative infancy of his Barcelona career, the signs have been undeniably positive for the former Liverpool man.

Suarez’s been at the heart of everything positive about this team as of late. His raw enthusiasm is infectious, his appreciation of teammates is burgeoning and some astute, instinctive finishes in the past four games point towards a return of those forensic instincts that terrorized defenses up and down the Premier League.

If Barcelona do go on to achieve treble glory this season—they’re well placed to triumph in the Copa del Rey, La Liga and the Champions League—then you suspect Messi’s unrelenting capabilities to conjure moments of magic will be central to their cause. Suarez’s role in this team is becoming increasingly refined though, and as is apparent, he’s going to play a typically effervescent, but curiously understated role in their charge towards silverware.

Follow Matt on Twitter @MattJFootball