Johan Cruyff
Johan Cruyff Reuters

Barcelona great Johan Cruyff has ignited controversy within the Catalan club by questioning whether Luis Suarez will fit into their famous passing style.

Barca completed the signing of the former Liverpool star last week after agreeing to pay around £75m for his services.

Cruyff guided Barcelona to their first-ever European Cup – now the Champions League - in 1992 with the famous 'Dream Team', and has always been hailed as the architect of the passing style which was taken forward by Louis van Gaal and Pep Guardiola.

The Dutchman believes that Barcelona's famous passing game may be at risk after the Catalans decided to sign another individual star in Suarez – 12 months after they bought Neymar.

"I can't see how Barça intends to continue playing the same way, with a keen focus on team play if Messi, Neymar and Luis Suárez are in the side," Cruyff was quoted as saying by AS.

"The three of them are too individual. In signing him, the club are showing a preference for individual genius over a team that plays great football."

Cruyff has been very critical of the Barcelona board in recent times, having questioned Neymar's huge salary last season.

"At Barca and in the whole team, the boss has to be the coach. That is the reason why Pep Guardiola left the club, because of the direction it was getting into" Cruyff said.

"Barca's problem is Neymar. He is a great player indisputably, but you cannot sign a 21-year-old player who earns more money than the rest who have won everything. At 21, what he [Neymar] has to do is learn, he has time for it. No-one is God at that age, that does not exist – and that is a problem for the club and for the player.

"Besides they already have the best world player [Leo Messi] and a 21-year-old player cannot be the big figure. This is impossible in football."