Former Barcelona star midfielder Philippe Coutinho who is currently enjoying life in the Premier League with Aston Villa shared his stories of struggle in Spain. He left the club in January and joined Aston Villa. The Brazilian star has finally shared how things forced him to leave Camp Nou.
Speaking to Globo ahead of Brazil’s World Cup qualifier against Chile, Coutinho was asked about his Barcelona stint and why it did not work out. There were concerns of persistent injury problems and waning form.
“It’s hard to say what didn’t work, maybe some points from what you mentioned. I had good times there, but the sequence and the way of acting were factors that could have been different. It was time to move forward, always with great respect and professionalism. I am grateful to Barcelona for believing in my work and grateful for having defended a club with a history built.”
The Brazilian midfielder joined Barcelona from Liverpool back in 2018 and went onto represent the Catalans in 106 appearances and also netted 26 goals in that time period. But he never quite managed to cement his place in the starting lineup. He was always brought in as a substitute to change the game or given a start in lesser important games when others were rested.
His struggles were clear and therefore, he was shipped off to Bayern Munich in 2019. He was persistently injured and down in form and therefore, his stint in Spain will remain as a major disappointment for the Aston Villa star.
Aston Villa brought him in January on loan and since then the Brazilian star has been sensational for Steven Gerrard’s men. The midfielder has scored four goals and provided three assists in 10 appearances since his arrival and has been a vital cog in Gerrard’s system.
Coutinho is very happy to be back in England again and praised how everyone at the club made him feel comfortable. He also shared how Gerrard accepted him and spoke about the Villa project that he is looking forward to.
“I believe I have been adapting well to this return to English football. It’s a championship I know and I feel good playing. In addition, I was very well received by everyone and this has helped me a lot. We had a conversation that made me feel very comfortable and motivated. He talked about the Villa project, the goals, what he expected from me and it was something I was looking for too. I believe we made a good decision and things are going well,” the Brazilian shared.
