Sevilla 2-4 FC Barcelona: 5 Talking Points and Tactical Analysis | LaLiga 2018/19

#3. Coutinho and Suarez’s poor form continues

Apart from the goal, Suarez was pretty poor

For the trip to Sevilla, Ernesto Valverde kept faith with Barcelona’s beleaguered South American duo, Philippe Coutinho and Luis Suarez.

Though the latter popped up with a goal in injury time, he was pretty awful before that. The Uruguayan’s touch let him down and his attempts at dribbling weren’t any better. At times, Suarez looked like a bull in a China shop.

However, he did get on the scoresheet and Barcelona would hope the goal acts as a catalyst for his revival.

Coutinho, meanwhile, was woeful against Sevilla. The Brazilian was anonymous for long periods and nothing came off for him.

To rub salt into his wounds, Barcelona’s attacking play improved drastically after he was brought off in favour of Carles Alena.

While Barcelona have been preparing from Suarez’s inevitable fall from grace, the ordinary form of Coutinho has been a bolt from the blue.

Bought for a world record fee in January 2018, the Brazilian looks a pale shadow of the player who lit up the Premier League for fun. And if Coutinho can’t conjure similar displays, he could find himself slipping into the wilderness very soon.