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What's the story?
After another poor performance, Barcelona midfielder Philippe Coutinho has been criticised once again, but this time by former Real Madrid manager Fabio Capello.
In case you didn't know...
Coutinho joined Barcelona from Liverpool in January 2018. During his stint with the Reds, the Brazilian developed a reputation for being one of the top midfielders on the planet and was almost undroppable from the starting eleven. He was also frequently at the heart of Liverpool's attack and contributed to many goals for the club.
However, after moving to the Spanish side, Coutinho has been unable to live up to the hype surrounding him. In the last 7 LaLiga matches, Coutinho has neither scored nor assisted a single goal. The last time he provided an assist in the domestic league was back in January during the match against Eibar.
During the Champions League clash against Liverpool, the 26-year-old showcased a relatively poor performance on the pitch. He was substituted near the hour mark for Nelson Semedo.
Eventually, Barca crashed out of the Champions League 4-3 on aggregate after suffering a 4-0 defeat at Anfield.
The heart of the matter
Former Real Madrid manager, Capello, was quick to question Coutinho's abilities. Speaking to Sky Sport Italia, Capello said,
"Valverde was a bit presumptuous in playing the same team from the first leg,"
"For me, Coutinho didn’t have to play. He does nothing away from home."
It is clear that the veteran Italian manager was not impressed by the fact that Coutinho was named in the starting eleven. The Brazilian has done his reputation only harm with his performances recently.
What's next?
If Coutinho's performances do not improve, Ernesto Valverde will not hesitate to sell the Brazilian star in the summer. Fans have already grown impatient and with Dembele set to return, Coutinho's time at the club may be coming to an end soon.
