Luis Enrique paid tribute to the role forward Luis Suarez has assumed at Barcelona after the Uruguay international hit a hat-trick against Eibar.

The plucky underdogs took a shock lead inside nine minutes at the Nou Camp but Suarez answered back in style, marking the anniversary of his Barcelona debut with a hat-trick that ensured Barca kept pace with Real Madrid at the top of La Liga.

With Lionel Messi still out injured, Suarez is breaching the void for his team and Enrique says the former Liverpool striker is ‘irreplaceable’ as a result.

“Luis Suarez brings us a lot,” he told reporters. “What he gives you is priceless and unquestionable. He has that power in the area and is irreplaceable.”

Suarez was teed up for two of his three goals by Neymar and the pair have now played a part in 14 of the 15 goals Barcelona have scored in La Liga and Champions League action since Messi’s injury last month.

The Catalans’ win saw them draw level on points at the top of the table with Real, who had taken care of Celta Vigo on Saturday.

Barcelona were forced to finish the game with ten men after Javier Mascherano was sent off and Enrique feels his men are proving they can “overcome any situation”.

Suarez too was pleased to have turned the game around following the early goal from Atletico Madrid loanee Borja Baston.

“It’s a special hat trick, coming one year after my debut. The end result is that we won a game we were losing,” he eclared.

Barcelona are 7.50 to win their next La Liga game 3-0 at Getafe on Saturday.