Reports in Spain claim that Philippe Coutinho may have played his final game for Bayern Munich, as he faces another six weeks out with injury.
The Brazil international has spent much of the Covid-19 lockdown recovering from an ankle injury, after undergoing surgery late last month. A Barcelona statement at the time confirmed Coutinho had gone under the knife on 24 April, and put a 14-day timescale on his rehabilitation period.
That window has now passed, and it had looked as if things had lined up neatly and tidily for Coutinho’s return when German football recommences next weekend. Things have rarely gone to plan for the 27-year-old over the last two years or so though, and Mundo Deportivo are reporting another major setback which could bring a premature end to his loan spell in Germany.
The Spanish outlet are claiming there has been a complication in his recovery that will leave him unable to play for a minimum of six weeks.
Given that the plan for the Bundesliga is to conclude the season on the weekend of 27 June – seven weeks from now – that new timeline would mean there is a very real risk that Coutinho returns to Barcelona in the summer having not added to his 32 appearances for the Bavarian giants.
It’s expected Coutinho will remain at Bayern as he undergoes his recovery, but the outlet do note that the situation could change – tentatively suggesting that the loan could be extended to allow him to play a part in Bayern’s Champions League campaign which is pencilled in to resume on 7/8 August.
That eventuality seems unlikely at this stage, however, but there is little certain about the footballing calendar as Europe’s major leagues scramble to finish their domestic seasons.
? La Liga’s plan to complete the 2019/20 Season:
• League will resume on June 20 and end on July 26 • The 11 remaining fixtures will be played across 5 weeks • Matches will be on Saturday/Sunday and Wednesday/Thursday • Teams will be able to substitute 5 players per match pic.twitter.com/1XJNLwkhcT
— Vamos Hazard ? (@VamosHazard) May 8, 2020
France have already curtailed their campaign, but the remainder of Europe’s top five leagues remain steadfastly determined to play out their remaining fixtures. La Liga are looking to resume by 20 June, while the Premier League and Serie A could follow shortly after.
The delays could cause further disruption in Coutinho’s future beyond this summer, as Barcelona are yet to decide what to do with him. He has long been linked with a permanent exit, and although almost every Premier League team with a few quid in the bank (including Leicester and Everton) have given it some thought, it has been reported that the Catalan club may give him the chance to revive his derailed career in Spain.
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For a glorious, sun-soaked month every couple of summers, international football is transformed from the irritating sideshow which punctuates the early months of league action to the beautiful game’s epicentre.
From the dozens that start the tournament, only two can make it to the last game, guided there by their nation’s most exciting talent. However, in the same way that most major finals often fail to produce electric contests, those players that have lit up tournaments can go missing in the showpiece match.
In what is likely to be the biggest game of their career, somewhat succumbing to the pressure of the circumstances is understandable. These superb players didn’t necessarily play badly in the final – and some even ended up on the winning side – but they represent the occasions when their brightest moments in the festival of football emphatically came before the tournament’s conclusion.
Matthias Sammer – Euro 1996
The ginger-haired sweeper was magisterial in the 1996 European Championships, as both the last line of defence and first wave of attack. With the side built around him, Sammer was duly voted Euro 1996’s player of the tournament as Germany defeated Czechoslovakia 2-1 in the final.
However, after getting the winner in the quarter-final and standing firm against England in the last four, Sammer gave away the penalty which put the Czechs 1-0 up. It took two goals – one of which was golden – from substitute Oliver Bierhoff to rescue Sammer.
Yet the final proved to be nothing more than a blip as the opinionated sweeper claimed the Ballon d’Or that same year before adding the Champions League with Borussia Dortmund in 1997.
Ronaldo – 1998 World Cup
Brazilian soccer star Ronaldo sends kiss
The circumstances surrounding Ronaldo prior to the 1998 World Cup final have descended into legend. Had he been drugged? Did he have an epileptic fit? Was he forced to play by Nike?
But amid the fallout from the final – which included Ronaldo giving testimony before Brazil’s national congress – and his understandably woeful showing, the 21-year-old’s electric performances earlier in the tournament can go forgotten.
Ronaldo scored four goals in the competition; three in the knockout rounds, including the opener against the Netherlands in the semi-final. In the past two seasons of club football, he’d scored more than 80 goals for Barcelona and Inter before he suffered the knee injury which would blight the rest of his career.
Zinedine Zidane – Euro 2000
Zidane was voted Player of the Tournament for Euro 2000
Zidane was at his enigmatic best in Euro 2000. A sentiment echoed by his teammate Christophe Dugarry, who said: “Sometime you want to stop playing just to watch him.”
Yet, after a masterclass in the semi-final against Portugal, Zidane was oddly quiet in the final against Italy, dropping deep and leaving France disconnected.
However, this didn’t stop Silvio Berlusconi lambasting Italy’s manager Dino Zoff for not man-marking Zidane, despite the fact that the Frenchman had been effectively nullified. To add another layer to this bizarre aftermath, Zoff was so offended by the comments that he resigned, explaining: “I feel hurt as a man, and that is the reason I have gone.”
Oliver Kahn – 2002 World Cup
?? World Cup iconic moments:
? 30 June, 2002
?? International Stadium, Yokohama
Four years after a mysterious illness shattered his and Brazil’s dreams, @Ronaldo scores two goals to help the Seleção win their fifth World Cup. pic.twitter.com/xtqzr1H2Xs
— ITV Football (@itvfootball) June 1, 2018
Kahn remains the only goalkeeper in World Cup history to win the Golden Ball, awarded to the tournament’s best player. Going into the final, Germany – and Kahn – had conceded just one goal but after 90 minutes, that tally had been tripled thanks to two strikes from Ronaldo.
The second was hardly Kahn’s fault but the opener was particularly poor from Germany’s captain who let Rivaldo’s shot squirm out of his hands to the feet of Ronaldo, perhaps the last player in world football you would’ve wanted to present with a golden goalscoring opportunity.
Andrea Pirlo – Euro 2012
The final had been billed as ‘Xavi vs Pirlo’ but the Spaniard emphatically came out on top
One of the defining moments of Pirlo’s illustrious career came in the form of a delicate, chipped penalty in the Euro 2012 quarter-final against England and throughout the tournament – of course, up to the final – he had been superb.
As the Italian claims in his autobiography: “Before the final against Spain, the guys at UEFA had blabbed to me that ‘you’re the best, but we’ll only give you the award if Italy win’.” Italy were emphatically beaten in the final and the deep-lying playmaker, along with his entire team, was comprehensively outplayed.
It wasn’t as though Pirlo was particularly bad – although he was robbed of the ball for Spain’s third – but he failed to assert himself in the match. His influence in the game can be summed up by the fact that just one sentence in his autobiography is dedicated to the occasion: “Needless to say we lost 4-0.”
Lionel Messi – 2014 World Cup
FIFA World Cup final – “Germany v Argentina”
Argentina battled their way to the final, thanks in no small part to the heroics of Messi. The Barcelona star was man of the match in Argentina’s first four games of the World Cup but, foreshadowing what was to come for the final, he struggled to replicate those performances in the last four defeat of the Netherlands on penalties.
In the showpiece match, possibly other than Javier Mascherano, Messi was Argentina’s best player but that isn’t particularly high praise given the performances of his teammates on the night. Germany’s opponents didn’t manage a single shot on target, even though Messi took four pops at goal.
Yet while Messi dropped below his stratospheric levels, Germany’s match winner Mario Götze was brought on with explicit instructions to outshine the Argentinian. Manager Joachim Löw recalls telling his substitute: “OK, show the world you are better than Messi and can decide the World Cup.”
In the 113th minute Götze did just that, scoring the only goal of the game to deny Messi the sport’s greatest prize.
Cristiano Ronaldo – Euro 2016
No player has scored more than Ronaldo’s nine goals at European Championships
Amid on-pitch tantrums, bitter post-match interviews and jettisoned microphones, Cristiano Ronaldo finally replicated some of the startling talent taken for granted in club football on the international stage.
His third goal of Euro 2020 opened the scoring in the semi-final with a typical towering header against Wales but the final was where the script for Ronaldo’s second documentary was swiftly ripped up..
Seven minutes into the match, Dimitri Payet clattered into the Portugal captain’s knee and, despite hobbling on for a quarter of an hour, he was eventually stretchered off in tears, accompanied by concerned teammates and giant moths.
However, this didn’t stop him returning to the touchline, seemingly bellowing more instructions than the team’s manager Fernando Santos as Eder sent a skidding shot past Hugo Lloris to claim Portugal’s first ever international trophy.
Football is back. The Bundesliga is back. That’s it, those are the statements
*Insert: ‘it’s been 84 years’ GIF
It’s now just a matter of counting down the days (or minutes) until the land of spellbinding transitional play and suicidal defensive lines returns to our screens on May 16; in a round of fixtures that includes the Revierderby between Dortmund and Schalke.
But with any sane football fan squeezing out every second of Bundesliga action they possibly can, why not educate yourselves a little bit beforehand?
Forget the Bayern’s, BVB’s, Leipzig’s and Gladbach’s for a second, it’s about time we focused on the rest of the division – with a plethora of hidden gems and under the radar stars lodged away in Europe’s supreme division this term.
So, here’s one player from every side currently outside the top four for you to keep tabs on amid the upcoming Bundesliga fest – presuming (more hoping) everything runs smoothly – working our way up from the bottom of the table (Paderborn) up to fifth (Bayer Leverkusen)…
SC Paderborn: Sebastian Schonlau
Despite their position in the table, Paderborn have certainly enjoyed their time in the top-flight, springing a few surprises along the way with their aggressive press and ability in transition.
And although they’ve surrendered way too many chances and ultimately conceded a few too many as well, Sebastian Schonlau has enjoyed a respectable campaign at centre-half. The ease at which he plays out from the back has been impressive, while his defensive numbers have also been commendable.
He may well a good option for many Bundesliga clubs when Paderborn inevitably drop down to the second-tier.
Werder Bremen: Max Eggestein
Milot Rashica has near enough put this declining Werder side on his back this term with 11 goal contributions, but they look destined for the drop.
The highly-rated Florian Kohfeldt desperately needs versatile midfielder Max Eggestein at his very best when German football returns if they are to stay up.
The 22-year-old German enjoyed a brilliant campaign last time out; finishing with ten Bundesliga goal contributions as Werder finished seventh. The departure of Max Kruse and failure of Eggestein to build-on his breakout year – he has no goals and just two assists this term – have been key in Die Werderaner’s demise.
Fortuna Dusseldorf: Zack Steffen
Probably the Bundesliga’s least interesting side, Fortuna aren’t exactly blessed with talent anywhere on the pitch and have relied heavily on shot-stopper Zack Steffen this season.
The 25-year-old is currently America’s number one and has been tipped to be a world-class goalkeeper at some point down the line.
Steffen’s also a Manchester City loanee so it could be interesting to see whether he could serve as Ederson’s back-up when his stint in Dusseldorf comes to a close.
Mainz: Jean-Phillipe Mateta
Pre-Season Friendly”1.FSV Mainz 05 v Rayo Vallecano”
Jean-Phillipe Mateta – last season’s star with 14 strikes – proved irreplaceable during the Hinrude as Mainz persistently struggled in the final third without their injured forward.
The Frenchman returned in December, however, and has scored twice and set-up another in five starts. There’s little doubting he’ll be key in Die Nullfünfer’s fight against the drop – they’re currently four points adrfit of the play-off.
He will be forced to serve a one-game suspension though, after getting two yellow cards last time out against Fortuna.
Augsburg: Felix Uduokhai
In what’s been a forgettable campaign for Augsburg, Wolfsburg loanee Uduokhai has been a shining light.
The German has excelled in shunning opposition counter-attacks through impressive recovery speed and adept spacial awareness. It’s a shame, however, that we haven’t seen much of his talent in possession as a result of Heiko Herrlich’s functional system.
A promising centre-back talent nonetheless, while dynamic full-back Philipp Max and goalscorer Florian Niederlechner are two others to keep an eye on.
Hertha BSC: Matheus Cunha
It’s been a tumultuous campaign for Hertha thus far as they’re now onto their fourth manager of the campaign in the form of Bruno Labbadia.
A major concern for the Berliners has been creativity and chance creation, with their 27-goal tally being the joint-worst among sides outside the bottom three.
But with Cunha arriving from Leipzig in the winter, we shouldn’t see such a blunt attacking force for the remaining nine games. The Brazilian has brought a little more variation, guile and a different dynamic to their attack overall.
So far, the 20-year-old’s made three goal contributions in four league games and shown signs of being a potential game-changer.
Eintracht Frankfurt: Evan N’Dicka
A player which Arsenal and Liverpool fans should be keeping a close eye on with both clubs reportedly interested in the Frenchman, Evan N’Dicka has enjoyed a fine campaign under Adi Hutter.
Blessed with an imposing physique, versatility and a composed but forward-thinking nature in possession, the talented defender will have the opportunity to impress a broader audience as Frankfurt take on Marco Rose’s ‘Gladbach on Saturday evening in their first game back.
Union Berlin: Keven Schlotterbeck
The Union Berlin story is a remarkable one, with the foundations for their impressive campaign thus far being laid by stringent organisation, compactness out of possession and swift attacking transitions.
And Freiburg loanee Keven Schlotterbeck has shone – when available – at the heart of Union’s back three alongside Marvin Friedrich and experienced Neven Subotic.
Schlotterbeck’s anticipatory skills combined with a dominating aerial ability and astute positional awareness have helped cement the 23-year-old as one of the division’s most impressive, but under the radar, defenders this term.
FC Köln: Ismail Jakobs
The Bundesliga’s ‘Rookie of the Month’ for December, Ismail Jakobs has made the left-wing spot his own this term under both Achim Beierlorzer and now Markus Gisdol.
The converted full-back is adept off both feet which makes him an unpredictable proposition for defenders in one-v-one situations, while he’s blessed with a healthy combination of ‘PnP’ – pace and power – to burst away from opponents.
There’s real hope in Cologne that Jakobs could mature into a superstar.
Hoffenheim: Florian Grillitsch
For any clubs in need of a defensive midfielder; look no further than Florian Grillitsch – presuming you haven’t got the cash to splurge on Denis Zakaria.
The Austrian rose to prominence under Julian Nagelsmann’s tutelage and has continued to excel at the base of Die Kraichgauer’s midfield this term.
The 24-year-old’s grace, elegance and verticality in possession along with tremendous ball-winning instincts make for an efficient combination.
Freiburg: Robin Koch
A Rolls-Royce of a defender, Robin Koch is the best ball-playing centre-half in the division not called David Alaba and it’s a treat to watch the German international churn out 50-yard diagonals with frightening ease.
Expect these remaining nine games to be his last in Freiburg colours.
Wolfsburg: Xaver Schlager
The summer signing from Salzburg has looked good in spells during his debut season at Wolfsburg, but he has the potential to be Oliver Glasner’s X-factor amid their push for a Europa League spot.
Technically proficient with a first-touch to die for, Xaver Schlager is the sort of talent that will have purists salivating as he struts his stuff from a box-to-box midfield role. Hopefully he’s on song for the rest of the campaign.
Schalke: Jean-Clair Todibo
The deal which saw Jean-Clair Todibo join Schalke from Barcelona in January is all a bit too complicated. His talent, however, is more clear-cut – this kid is special, generational if you will.
20-year-old Ozan Kabak has rightly been the talk of Gelsenkirchen with a stellar campaign at the heart of Die Königsblauen’s backline, while Todibo’s minutes have been limited since his arrival with Matija Nastasic often partnering the talented Turk.
The Frenchman started five of Schalke’s last six in all competitions, however, as he looks to establish himself as a regular in Danny Wagner’s side for the remainder of the campaign.
Bayer Leverkusen: Edmond Tapsoba
The imperious form of the majestic Kai Havertz has somewhat overshadowed the impact January signing Edmond Tapsoba has had on Peter Bosz’s side – with Leverkusen yet to lose in the ten games which Tapsoba started, winning nine.
The 21-year-old has often been deployed on the left-hand side of a back three which has allowed his tremendous ball-playing capabilities to come to the fore – he plays an important role in the first phase for Bosz.
Tapsoba’s ability to cover large spaces and in one-v-one situations, meanwhile, has meant he’s excelled in a high-risk system which demands so much from its defenders.
The early signs suggest Die Werkself have got another gem on their hands and it’ll be interesting to see how he develops over the coming weeks.
Those immortal words of Clive Tyledsley will remain etched in every Manchester United fans brain for the rest of their lives.
While Liverpool fans may think otherwise, the Red Devils’ Champions League triumph remains the most dramatic victory in the competition’s history, and the side that won it are unrivalled as the greatest English club side ever.
Alex Ferguson with the European Cup
Forget the Invincibles, forget Pep’s Centurions, and forget Klopp’s current Liverpool side, the United team of ’99 were different gravy.
With a dramatic victory over Spurs sealing the Premier League title on 16 May 1999, and an FA Cup triumph a week later over Newcastle United, Sir Alex Ferguson and his men secured victory in the most remarkable fashion over German giants Bayern Munich to secure an unprecedented treble.
That night on 26 May remains the most iconic in the club’s history.
Images From The Book “In The Moment’ – By Tom Jenkins
Cup final nerves seemed to have got the better of United as they struggled to get a foothold in the match, with the German side leading through an early Mario Basler free-kick that deceived the helpless Peter Schmeichel in goal.
With time running out, Ferguson threw on Teddy Sheringham and current United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer in search of a goal – and they duly delivered.
As the game entered added time, David Beckham whipped in a delicious corner which Sheringham tucked away, before a repeat set-piece saw Solskjaer flick out a leg to send the United faithful inside the Nou Camp into raptures, as the side delivered the club’s second European Cup, and first since 1968.
Manchester United
Key Talking Point
The manner of the victory was no surprise for a side that had famously not known when to quit that season.
The FA Cup semi-final against Arsenal had seen a 10-man United overcome Arsene Wenger’s men courtesy of an outrageous run and finish from Welsh wizard Ryan Giggs.
Equally, in the Champions League, United stared defeat in the face in Turin, before the Roy Keane inspired team overcame the Italian giants, despite the Irish skipper facing the prospect of missing the showpiece through suspension.
Such were the forces at play that season – and for all of Ferguson’s seasons at the helm – United seemingly got stronger as the matches approached their climax.
While other sides faltered in the dying minutes – as both United and the opposition knew that the Red Devils would score – Ferguson’s men continued to push on relentlessly.
With complete trust in the players he had signed, as well as the gifted ‘Class of 92’, Ferguson knew his side were special, despite missing a number of key players to injury and suspension, such as Keane and fellow midfielder Paul Scholes.
While domestic trophies continued to follow, that United side had perhaps reached their peak, with the club enduring a relative downturn in form in the mid 2000s, before the emergence of the great Rooney, Ronaldo side that would also clinch European success.
After a year of being booed for his World Cup antics in ’98, Beckham showed no signs of being affected, as he brought to a close a terrific season for himself and the club with an impressive performance in the final.
With the absence of Keane and Scholes, Beckham augmented the midfield alongside Nicky Butt, putting in a characteristically hard-working shift, as well as providing the goods in the last few minutes as his famed set-piece delivery came to the fore. He weren’t half bad that Beckham you know.
Bayern Munich
SOCCER-MANCHESTER-BAYERN
Key Talking Point
For all the clamour over the manner of United’s victory, it can be easily forgotten that the Red Devils weren’t even the better team in the game itself.
Despite being aided by Basler’s early goal, the Bavarian hotshots continued to set the tone, and were unfortunate to not to add to their lead after a number of efforts deflected off the woodwork or into the grateful hands of Schmeichel.
Although the German side boasted the likes of the experienced Oliver Kahn and Lothar Matthaus – who lined-up in that old-school sweeper position – Bayern were seemingly helpless in preventing United’s late surge. To concede one late corner is perhaps fair enough, but to concede two in such a short space of time is inexcusable.
While he’d much rather have had a Champions League winner’s medal than a good performance, there is no denying that Basler did everything he could to try and lead his side to victory.
His low free-kick outfoxed the keeper, as Bayern took an early lead inside six minutes, before the creative German winger pulled the strings as his side dominated the game in Catalonia, yet his pals in defence were ultimately undone by the rampant United side.
What Aged the Worst?
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Peter Schmeichel may have ended his Old Trafford career on a high after securing a treble but he certainly soured his allegiances after he rocked up at Manchester rivals City three years later. Gary Neville didn’t even want to look at him in the tunnel, and rightly so.
Equally, that Bayern Munich away kit certainly does not look any better now than it did back then, with the drab grey not befitting of a potential Champions League winner. If United had been wearing it they’d have wanted to change at half-time!
What aged the Best?
David Beckham. We can just leave it at that.
Oh, and of course, Sir Alex Ferguson, as the Scotsman would go on to lead United to three more Champions League finals, with an equally as dramatic victory in 2008 as his side clinched victory from rivals Chelsea on penalties.
And just one more: the United kit, a beautiful design that remains iconic even now.
What Happened Next?
FC Bayern Muenchen v Eintracht Frankfurt – Bundesliga
Well, for United, the successes kept coming, before they hit a stumbling block during the ‘Djemba- Djemba years’ as Jose Mourinho’s Chelsea emerged. Don’t worry, Ferguson recovered, as United won a further five Premier League titles under the great man, including three in a row between 2006-2009.
As for Bayern and manager Omar Hitzfield, the wait for Champions League glory wasn’t too long at least, as the German giants won the trophy two years later, after defeating Valencia in the final.
In the present, however, the two sides could not perhaps be more different. While United have endured seven long years since their last league title success, Bayern are on course to claim an eighth Bundesliga title in a row. Ouch.
It’s been a tough couple of years for Philippe Coutinho. Bayern Munich don’t appear to be keen on keeping hold of him permanently, and nor do his parent club.
After earning himself a ‘dream’ £142m move to Barcelona in January 2018, his former club Liverpool have gone from strength to strength, while he has struggled to make an impression at his new home.
Barça are now keen to offload the Brazilian, with a source confirming to 90min that this is the case because they are looking to free up funds for new arrivals. Liverpool do have first refusal, but they are unlikely to take up this option.
As a result, with his future unclear, Coutinho has been linked with just about every club in Europe. The likes of Chelsea, Arsenal and Tottenham appear the most likely destinations, while Manchester United (somehow), Leicester, Everton and the soon-to-be financial powerhouse that is Newcastle United have all supposedly expressed an interest.
But is it really the best thing for Barça to be offloading Coutinho?
The club paid somewhere around £142m for his services, and are now looking to move him on potentially on loan with an option to buy, or permanently if the right offer were to come in. The Catalan club are hoping for an offer of around the £100m mark.
The likelihood of a club conjuring up such a sum is highly unlikely, however, especially in the current financial climate. A loan would make more sense, but La Blaugrana would still take a major loss from his departure. Considering all the financial uncertainty at Barcelona as well as the political tension and overall problems, it would be illogical to part ways with Coutinho in the summer window.
PSV v FC Barcelona – UEFA Champions League Group B
And this is especially the case, considering the club’s ambitions to bring in Lautaro Martinez, with Inter and Barça said to have ‘finally’ agreed a €60m fee as well as two players in exchange. Offloading Coutinho for far less than his actual market value would be detrimental and counter-productive. Instead, Barça should look to utilise him next season because he is just what they need.
Yes, Coutinho has struggled since his move, there’s no denying that, but Barcelona have had their faults this season – a lot of them – and notably, they’re in need of creativity and a link between the midfield and attack. There aren’t many better players than Coutinho in that department.
Arthur Melo’s future appears uncertain and so does Arturo Vidal’s, while Ivan Rakitic is at ‘war’ with the club – therefore, the squad could potentially be trimmed this summer without too many arrivals coming in. Coutinho, however, brings versatility, creativity, skill, vision and much more. Yet to work under Quique Setén, this could be just the clean slate the former Liverpool man requires in order to rediscover his best form.
FC Schalke 04 v FC Bayern Muenchen – DFB Cup
Not only that, Setién’s style of play would suit Coutinho, and he could have a major impact on the team should he be given the chance. The former Betis boss’ men play intricate passing, giving and going, trying to find the pockets of space to break down the opponent. However, there has been a distinct lack of creativity, while there has also been an over-reliance on the great Lionel Messi to simply work his magic.
This season, Antoine Griezmann, Ousmane Dembele, Sergio Busquets, Frenkie de Jong, Vidal, Arthur and Rakitic have managed just 16 assists between them. As for goals, these same seven players have managed just 22 goals in La Liga.
With Bayern Munich in 2019/20, Coutinho has managed nine goals and eight assists in 32 appearances in all competitions. But it is worth noting that only 22 of these appearances have come from the start. This hasn’t been deemed good enough for Bayern to part ways with around €120m to make the move permanent – and rightly so.
TSG 1899 Hoffenheim v FC Bayern Muenchen – Bundesliga
But while Coutinho’s main problem on loan this season has been consistency, it is clear to see the creativity and quality he brings to any team. With Setién’s philosophy, Coutinho could be deployed on either the left or as an attacking midfielder, providing the link between the midfield and the attack.
While the attackers would thrive off his vision and passing, Coutinho himself would also be able to get forward and try his luck from distance or in and around the edge of the box. This has been another problem for Barça, and Coutinho could be just the solution.
The 27-year-old has already shown the Barça faithful what he can bring to the team, grabbing eight goals and five assists in just 16 starts after first completing his move to the club. Not to mention the stunning performances he put in to entice La Blaugrana into signing him for such a hefty amount in the first place.
FC Barcelona v Manchester United – UEFA Champions League Quarter Final: Second Leg
Barcelona are in need of a Philippe Coutinho-type player, someone to help alleviate the pressure on Messi and create the right balance in the team. Coutinho can be exactly this man, he just needs Setién to show the necessary faith in him, allowing him to start enjoying playing his football again and in turn, rediscovering his best form.
From an economical standpoint, selling Coutinho doesn’t make sense. From a footballing standpoint, it doesn’t make sense either. If given the opportunity, Coutinho could be just the man Barça are crying out for.
For more from Adam Aladay, follow him on Twitter!
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