5 reasons why moving to Barcelona will make Philippe Coutinho a Ballon d'Or contender

#3 He’ll be playing against weaker sides a lot and will look better

FC Barcelona v Malaga CF - La Liga — Playing against weaker sides like Malaga will make Coutinho look even better

It’s an argument that plenty of people have made in the past, but it still rings true – La Liga is simply a weaker league overall than the Premier League.

That obviously doesn’t mean that sides like Real Madrid, Barcelona and Atletico Madrid are worse than the cream of the Premier League crop, but it does mean that lower-table sides in Spain such as Levante and Malaga probably aren’t as strong as lower English sides like Swansea or West Bromwich Albion.

The reason for this isn’t necessarily because they’re outright weaker – it’s more to do with La Liga’s head-to-head rule, which means results between two sides, rather than overall goal difference, is used to separate sides on the same points.

So basically, it matters not whether a smaller side loses 1-0 or 7-0 to Barcelona. This means that for a player like Coutinho, a lot more easier games should be on the horizon which should allow him to shine even more.

Look at Cristiano Ronaldo and the impact that moving to Spain did for his career, for instance – while he has improved as a player since moving to Madrid, his league goal average has increased at a ludicrous rate – from averaging 22 a season in his last three years at Manchester United, to 35 a season at Real.

La Liga will allow Coutinho’s talents to shine through even brighter than they did in the Premier League thanks to the lesser competition, giving him a better chance at the Ballon d’Or in turn.

About the author

Scott is a veteran MMA writer with over two decades of experience, including his ongoing tenure in Sportskeeda, which began seven years ago. He has written over 3000 pieces for the organization, while also covering football. Before joining Sportskeeda, Scott wrote articles for websites like The Oratory and Inside Pulse MMA.

Scott has a degree in history, which drives his research skills and helps him compile accurate information. His long stint in the field helps Scott provide a clear take on important topics, such as the criticism of promotions regarding fighter pay. While he feels fighters deserve a bigger revenue share, he doesn’t want MMA to suffer with purse-split issues.

Scott’s work has been previously reshared by the former UFC middleweight champion Chris Weidman. He uses credible sources, such as the UFC’s official website, during the writing process.

His dedication to MMA writing won him the Feature Writer of the Month award for Sportskeeda in November 2021.

Outside of work, Scott likes to go to the gym, walk his dog, and travel.

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Edited by Shambhu Ajith