PHILIPPE Coutinho at least had the look of a Barcelona player. As a dribbler, edge-of-the-box creator and long-range ball-striker there was reason to believe the Brazilian would thrive at the Camp Nou. From a distance, Coutinho’s low centre of gravity even gives him a Lionel Messi-esque quality.
Of course, such impressions proved to be purely superficial, with Coutinho lasting just 18 months at the Camp Nou. Rather than being a manifestation of Barca’s principles he quickly became a reflection of all that is currently wrong with the club. A hasty parting of ways looked likely within just months of his £142 million arrival from Liverpool and that separation came this summer.
By that point, Coutinho surely would have taken any escape route. A Premier League return was mooted, but Manchester United seemingly lost interest while Arsenal, Liverpool and Tottenham were priced out of any move for the Brazilian. In the end, Bayern Munich rescued Coutinho, signing him on a season-long loan which includes an option to buy.
— Barça and Tottenham continue to negotiate the loan of Coutinho against the clock. [rac1] pic.twitter.com/M2Vetbo0L9
— Barca Universal (@BarcaUniversal) August 7, 2019
Desperation on the Bavarians’ part led them to take such a risk. After a disappointing 2018/19 season and the exit of both Franck Ribery and Arjen Robben, Bayern Munich were expected to rebuild their squad over the summer. The Bundesliga champions left things uncomfortably late in the window, though.
Coutinho was primarily signed because there were no better options out there at the time. Bayern Munich surely would have preferred someone like Kai Havertz or even Christian Eriksen to fill the position behind Robert Lewandowski as their central striker, but such blockbuster deals would have been difficult to pull off so late in the summer.
Eriksen and Havertz would have struggled to match the standard Coutinho has set over the early stages of his Bayern Munich career, though. The Brazilian has hit the ground running, finding his place in Niko Kovac’s team quicker than anyone predicted. Coutinho is once again starting to look like the player that convinced Barca to spend so much money on him in the first place.
The 27-year-old is the dynamo through which Bayern Munich’s attacking play flows. He has had a hand in a goal (two goals and two assists in just five appearances) every 70 minutes, finding the back of the net and creating another in back-to-back Bundesliga outings against Koln and Paderborn.
Philippe Coutinho stats vs Paderborn:
1 Goal
1 assist
1 woodwork
65 touches
2 key passes
2 big chances created
3/6 long balls
4/5 dribbles completed
3 crosses
7/8 duels won
1 interception
2 times fouledDo you think Valverde held him back & ruined him? pic.twitter.com/ej48pPSTnE
— Barcelona Worldwide (@BarcaWorldwide) September 30, 2019
“Philippe speaks for himself really. I think everyone in the stadium today and everyone who watched the match once again saw the ability he has and the quality he has on the ball,” Kovac gushed after Coutinho’s man of the match display at the weekend. “At times it really looks like he's dancing with the ball, there's no other way of saying it. He knows exactly when, how and what to do with the ball.”
The player Kovac describes is entirely different to the player who suffered something of an existential crisis over 18 dismal months at Barcelona. Coutinho is at his best when he is allowed to play with freedom, permitted to submit himself to his own footballing instincts. He was never afforded this at the Camp Nou.
Just a few months ago, Tottenham would have had nothing to fear in coming up against Coutinho. Now, however, with Bayern Munich this week travelling to North London to take on Mauricio Pochettino’s side in the Champions League the Brazilian poses a very different threat. He could do real damage.
The new Coutinho evokes the spirit of the old Coutinho. His verve is back and so too is his inherent potency in and around the box. Bayern Munich and the Bundesliga look a much better fit for the 27-year-old than Barca and La Liga ever was. A starring performance against Spurs would prove just how much has changed for him since swapping the latter for the former.
