Loaned this season by FC Barcelona to Bayern (paying loan of € 8 million), with a purchase option of 120 million euros, Philippe Coutinho returned to Catalonia in early September with some trophies in his luggage, including a League of champions, and the feeling of a job well done. From the outset, it was very difficult for the Bavarians to pay such a sum for an attacking midfielder. The club’s biggest transfer for a remaining attacking player – until this summer and the 45 million paid to Manchester City for Leroy Sané – that of Mario Götze, moved from the Ruhr to Bavaria for 37 million euros in 2014.
And yet, despite the competition of Ivan Perisic or Serge Gnabry on the left side of the Bavarian attack, Philippe Coutinho made a place for himself, under Niko Kovac first, for thirteen matches, then under the orders of ‘Hansi Flick. Author of 14 appearances in the Bundesliga after the arrival of the new coach, the 28-year-old midfielder only holds eight times, and takes place on the bench in two meetings. On the other hand, he is the holder in the section. A role of Super-Sub which does not prevent him from scoring 11 goals and delivering 9 assists in 38 appearances in the Bavarian jersey.
A click after confinement
He can also boast of having remained on the bench (Gladbach) and having played only 20 minutes (Leverkusen) in the only two defeats of Bayern in the league under Flick. Passed on billiards in April, after an ankle injury, Philippe Coutinho returned for the final day of the season, June 27 against Wolfsburg. Perfect timing for the native of Rio de Janeiro, who was going to be able to play his role of super sub during the final 8 of the Champions League, played in Lisbon. Substitute, he offered himself, as a symbol, a double and an assist in the quarter-final against Barça (8-2).
After playing 15 minutes against OL in the semi-final and taking part in 22 minutes of the final won by Bayern at the expense of PSG (1-0), it was crowned with a C1 and after only a week of holiday that the Brazilian found Barcelona, from where Lionel Messi had failed to leave a few weeks earlier. It is on tiptoe but sharp as ever and with the confidence of the new coach, Ronald Koeman, that Philippe Coutinho resumed the path of training. Dispossessed of his number 7 (given to Antoine Griezmann), like a traitor who would be defrocked, Coutinho recovered on the 14th, without saying a word.
An unexpected reinforcement in the eventful summer of Barça
While Barça hoped to rebuild their financial health by selling him to the highest bidder this summer (he had been bought € 145m from Liverpool in January 2018), the Brazilian stayed and settled from the start in the coach’s eleven. Dutch. Aligned at the number ten position, behind Léo Messi, surrounded by Antoine Griezmann and Ansu Fati, he took advantage of increased freedom to distill caviar and technical gestures. While Antoine Griezmann and Ousmane Dembélé struggled with their old demons and Leo Messi was emerging from a soft lethargy probably linked to his abortive departure, Coutinho was decisive in each of the three matches played by Barça (2 assists, 1 goal) .
And this beautiful form has also been seen with Brazil. International since October 7, 2010, Philippe Coutinho has just celebrated his ten years in the selection. Present for the 61st time in the eleven auriverde on the night of Friday to Saturday, he participated in the festival of his people against modest Bolivia at the opening of the qualifiers for the 2022 World Cup (5-0). Aligned right midfielder, he took advantage of a pass from Neymar to afford a 17th goal in the selection. As if everything was going smoothly for Philippe Coutinho, who could well offer Blaugrana fans a reason for satisfaction after a tumultuous summer.
“It’s a very beautiful moment that I live. It’s a year where I aim for a lot of things on a personal and above all collective level. I can say that I came back to Spain with a lot of desire, a desire three times greater to work and to make things happen in my favor. That’s what I’m trying to do here in the national team as well, push my intensity to the limit to achieve great things in matches and the Brazilian team ” did not fail to affirm the former Liverpool player after the meeting against Bolivia. The Brazilian will build on his time at Bayern Munich: “We really had some changes in the physical part. Me, in particular, I feel good like that. Of course, you always have to want to improve. What I learned at Bayern and what I can emphasize is work […] There, at Bayern, they insist a lot on this side of intensity, training. “ A year after his departure on loan through the back door to Munich, Philippe Coutinho now seems armed to try his luck again in Barcelona. It is now up to him to change his destiny.
