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The world had just entered 2018. Your rumors of joining Barcelona were higher than ever. Even before joining the club you had become everybody's favorite. Your dazzling smile, mesmerizing runs and fantastic golazos had made you one of the best midfielders in the world. Maybe also one of the best players in the world. Every Cule wanted to see you at Camp Nou in the Blaugrana jersey. It seemed like you were made to play for this great club.
The momentous day arrived on January 6, 2018, when you boarded the plane from Liverpool to arrive in Barcelona. On the plane itself you were so excited that you had already donned the club's jacket.
Filling a big man's boots
Fast forward to when you completed all the formalities and were ready to be presented in Camp Nou. You had become the club's most expensive signing in history. Barcelona broke the bank and paid Liverpool €142 million in the winter transfer season. Nobody cared about this gigantic amount as you had already proven your worth in Liverpool; everyone expected you to just play your natural game.
You were brought to the club to fill the great Andres Iniesta's boots. That was the plan, filling Iniesta's position in midfield and not as a replacement for Neymar in the flanks.
Yet, you had an inauspicious start. During your medical, you were diagnosed with a thigh injury sustained a few days before joining Barcelona, ruling you out for three weeks. In your first season, you played 22 games, notched 10 goals and assisted 6 times.
Not bad, since you joined during mid-season. But there was a minor inconvenience as you were forced to play as a winger, rather than a attacking midfielder. At Liverpool, they played you as a winger only on few occasions and not in every match.
The position which you needed was already reserved for Lionel Messi, arguably the best player to play in that position and in the history of the game. And you accepted it saying you loved new challenges and wanted to expand your skill-set. There were some critics complaining you were not a good winger. Yet, they seemed to miss the point that you weren't a natural winger and more lethal in a central position.
And you took all the criticism with a smile. Your teammates supported you, your manager supported you, and your fans stood by you. Yet you had a feeling that something was wrong, in fact every fan sensed something wrong. You began to feel out of place and without confidence to offer your best in a position far from the area where your influence in the game is crucial.
The going gets tough
The 2018/19 season is one which you and every Barcelona fan wants to forget. Your skill was never questioned, but because of certain factors you failed to live up to the expectations of fans and your own potential.
To name a few factors such as playing you out of position, the rebirth of Ousmane Dembele, huge expectations attached to the huge price-fee of yours, competing with other players for a place in the starting 11 etc. In this season you scored only 11 goals and registered 5 assists, almost the same figures as your last season.
Albeit the only difference is you played the whole of 18/19 season and scored these goals while playing only for half of 17/18 season you scored almost the exact amount of goals and exact amount of assists. It was no secret that you were struggling to find your true form and were looking like a shadow of your former self.
This time the critics lashed out hard, the fans were divided, some were saying you needed to go while some, including me said that it is not your fault that they were playing you out of position and expecting you to deliver. You needed more time, more support and a chance to play in the position you were craving for.
But you never once complained, you never complained to the manager, you never said anything against the fans, you were always respectful. The board could not wait any longer and brought the French superstar Antoine Griezmann from Atletico Madrid to increase the attacking power and reduce the burden on Messi. And what's worse is that just by judging you on this season everyone, including the manager, the board, the fans all turned against you and started demanding for the return of Neymar Jr. Barcelona offered you to PSG in every demand for Neymar. I was extremely unhappy with these rumours of you leaving the club so Neymar could come in. It was like all your struggle to arrive at your dream destination was reduced to ashes. You were so excited to join us.
You said,"When Barca's interest came up, I thought that it had always been my dream to come. That's something I can't deny. My biggest idol was Ronaldinho, now I have the same opportunity."
After the signing of Griezmann itself the situation became complicated since now the attack consisted of Messi, Suarez, Griezmann and Dembele making you a backup option. The midfield consisted of Sergio Busquets, new signing Frenkie De Jong, Ivan Rakitic, Arturo Vidal, your compatriot Arthur Melo and others. The people said that your skill-set does not make you an ideal candidate to partner in midfield which left you with no choice but to try out other options. This was unfair to you, You deserved more. But the club had otherplans in mind.
A new beginning
Now, Bayern Munich have signed you from us on a season-long loan deal which includes an option to buy. The club officials said that the German side will pay 8.5m euros (£7.78m) to take you, on loan while the option to buy stands at 120m euros (£109.84m). This is the one thing that I didn't want to happen but seeing it from your perspective has made me realize that this was the only option where you get playing time. I would say your transfer is remarkably similar to James Rodriguez's transfer from Real Madrid to Bayern Munich.
If I can pin-point one person who is responsible for your transfer and for your performance, it is Ernesto Valverde. The manager made you play in a position where you were not comfortable. It was under Valverde that Barcelona suffered one of the worst nights in the club's history.
Giving away a three-goal lead and losing in the second leg of the tie away for the second time in two years. The team which steamrolled us in the Champions League was none than your old club, Liverpool. I can't imagine how hard it must have been on you leaving your old club to win Champions League and then next season your previous club is the one who eliminates us from the competition and then goes on to win the competition.
Jurgen Klopp never wanted you to leave his side and did everything possible to make you stay.
He said,“Stay here and they will end up building a statue in your honour. Go somewhere else, to Barcelona, to Bayern Munich, to Real Madrid, and you will be just another player. Here you can be something more.”
But the chance to play at Barcelona was too tempting to ignore. When I first heard this quote, I said Coutinho was going to prove him wrong but fate was not with you. And in the end just as he predicted you became just another player who played at Barcelona.
All I hope now is that you win loads of titles with your current club and get to play the way you want rather than the way others demand. I wish you all the best and please if possible come back to us after a season, several fans, including me, are going to welcome you with open arms. We will be waiting for you. Love you, Phil.
