Barcelona signed Philippe Coutinho from Liverpool for £142 million. The fans were amazed to see the deal go through as one of the Premier league’s celebrated star player has joined the Catalan outfit. However, his debut season in Barcelona was lacklustre and he failed to make an instant impact in Barcelona.
Coutinho was always meant for a great future when he kickstarted his career at Inter Milan in 2008. In his first season at Inter Milan, he remained at his youth club Vasco Da Gama to gain some experience in league football. Liverpool snapped the youngster from the Nerazzurri in the 2013 winter transfer window for £8.5 million. The Brazilian developed his game in the Premier League to become one of the finest midfielders of the game. He was a master of set-pieces and creative plays.
The revival of Barcelona career
After his departure from the Merseyside outfit, Coutinho failed to recapture his form until his loan spell at the Allianz Arena. For the 2018-19 season, Coutinho decided to play for Bayern Munich to which Barcelona agreed. The deal included a clause for the Bavarians to buy his for £110 million at the end of the loan. Coutinho played 23 games for the German champions and scored 8 goals. He finished his loan on a high winning a treble, routing his parent club Barcelona on his way to Champions League glory.
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Despite stellar performances, Bayern refused to retain Coutinho on a permanent transfer. With the change of manager at Barca, there was a chance for Coutinho to make his way into the first team. The 28-year-old midfield maestro showed Koeman what he is made of in the pre-season. The Dutchman also utilized the player properly playing him in his preferred position as an attacking midfielder.
Koeman’s support to Coutinho
Coutinho revived his Barcelona career and already has two assists in the current season. In an interview, Koeman responded to Coutinho’s rise and told Sport that he is a good player which explains his performances. He added that the Brazilian has gained enough experience playing in different leagues. Koeman’s task is to derive the best out of his players in the team. All he did was feature him in the starting squad which helped Coutinho with some morale boost. Barcelona will face Sevilla tonight and Phillipe may be on the first team sheet yet again.
