"Nobody can say that Philippe Coutinho does not have talent" - Brazil coach Tite defends struggling Barcelona star
Brazil coach Tite has come out in support of Barcelona and Brazil midfielder Philippe Coutinho. According to Sport, Tite has stressed that the former Liverpool player has great talent. The Brazil boss has called up Coutinho for the Brazilian team in the World Cup Qualifiers to help him recover back to his old form.
This comes amidst a rise in reports suggesting Newcastle United are planning a move to bring Coutinho back to the Premier League.
Philippe Coutinho's name already sounds strong for Newcastle United. The new Saudi owners of the English club prepare a multi-million dollar investment and a few months ago they already spoke with the Brazilian's environment to convince him. [sport]
Tite has stressed that the Brazil team will help Coutinho get back to the form that he displayed during his time at Liverpool. He said:
"This is not the best Coutinho, but he has a great projection. We are going to help rescue what was in Liverpool."
The Brazil coach also talked about Coutinho's talent and his ability in attack. He added:
"The talent is not discussed and nobody can say that Coutinho does not have it. We must resume the process of what a great footballer he is. For me, ‘Couto’ can occupy either one of the two sides. He can play inside or outside, but he is an articulator, who has to give the last pass.”
Coutinho was on the bench in Brazil's 1-0 win over Colombia on Friday. This win saw Brazil qualify for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. Coutinho will be looking to get back to his best by then.
A contrasting Philippe Coutinho from Liverpool to Barcelona
Coutinho has faced a lot of criticism lately for his performances in Barcelona colors. He has made 11 appearances this season for Blaugrana and scored just one goal, assisting none.
Overall, he has made 101 appearances for the Catalan club with 24 goals and 14 assists.
He was even loaned out to Bayern Munich for the 2019-20 season.
⏪ Remember when Barcelona loaned Philippe Coutinho, their £142m signing, to Bayern Munich...
🥴 And he scored twice off the bench against them in a 8-2 defeat in the Champions League... https://t.co/N2lmXxP3ng
Barcelona signed Coutinho from Liverpool in 2018 for an initial fees of £105 million, going up to £142 million with clauses. However, this was certainly not the result that the Catalan club were expecting of him.
He scored 54 goals and made 45 assists in his time with the Reds. But since leaving them, it hasn't been the same.
Now, with the support of Tite and reports of a potential move to Newcastle, Coutinho will be looking for a change in fate. With the 2022 World Cup next year, he will be even more determined to get back to his form.
It is yet to be seen, though, whether Coutinho will turn it around at Barcelona or move to Newcastle United.