Coutinho’s ‘last dance’

After the departure of Leo Messi and Antoine Griezmann, Barcelona’s franchise player is Philippe Coutinho. He arrived in January 2018 at the stroke of a checkbook, after paying 120 million euros to Liverpool plus the possibility of 40 more in variables. This total amount of 160 million labeled him as the most expensive player in the history of FC Barcelona.

However, very soon, all expectations with the player began to crumble. Without ever finding a position -Valverde placed him as a left winger with dire results-, dwarfed by the shadow of Leo Messi, without connecting with the fans -He covered his ears after scoring a goal against United- and with an introverted character, his adventure in Barcelona turned into a real nonsense, cOn the icing on the cake a summer ago, where he dug into the wound of the humiliation of the Champions League against Bayern (2-8), being the author of two goals and one assist, taking advantage of his assignment to the Bavarian team.

Such a cluster of events invited the new board of directors, headed by Joan Laporta, to think that the best option was a transfer. However, the market was not for great joys and the offer for Coutinho did not arrive. Not even a starting price of 30 million, clearly devalued, was enough to put the player on the market.

Obviously his injury did not help him find a way out either. His last match dated back to December 29, 2020, against Eibar at the Camp Nou (1-1). A serious injury to the meniscus, including an operation, and a disastrous rehabilitation, led him to travel to Brazil to seek a second opinion and go under the knife again. In this way, an injury that had to mean four months off the pitch ended up being almost nine months.

The luck of Coutinho is that Koeman has him. He already showed him his support before he was injured and he has done it again now, assuring Laporta that he sees him as a recoverable player and that he can contribute many things. After being discharged on August 7 and after almost four weeks training with the group, Coutinho’s time has come: 259 days later he will reappear on a soccer field.

The Dutch coach had the intention of giving him a few minutes against Sevilla, but the Brazilian will have to wait a few more days, when the match is finally postponed. His reappearance will come with ‘morbid’ included: it will be on September 14, against Bayern, at the premiere of the Champions League. Quite a challenge for a gamer undervalued, belittled and vilified. It is up to you to come out as a hero or an impostor. He will take to the track to star in his ‘last dance’.