Coutinho Must Live Up To 160m-Euro Cost, Legacy
Philippe Coutinho arrives at
Barcelona bearing both his huge price tag and the legacy of the long line of
Brazilian stars who have dazzled at Camp Nou. The comparisons will be constant
with Neymar, whose world-record move to PSG in August provided Barcelona with
the 160 million euros they needed to acquire Coutinho at a cost that would have
seemed ludicrous just six months before. Only Neymar and PSG teammate Kylian
Mbappe surpass it.
But while Neymar, as before
him Ronaldinho, Rivaldo, Ronaldo and Romario, all became fan favourites by
starring in Barcelona’s attack, Coutinho will have to measure up to the Spanish
club’s long line of top-notch — and largely homegrown — midfielders. The
25-year-old Coutinho will come to Spain charged with the daunting task of one
day taking over as its midfield leader with Andres Iniesta entering the
twilight of his career at age 33.
Coutinho can count on the
big advantage of setting up Lionel Messi for goals as he strives to justify the
club-record fee Barcelona agreed to pay on Saturday, when it finally pried him
away from Liverpool after the English club had refused to let him go in the
summer. Even though coach Ernesto Valverde has successfully kept Barcelona
winning after predictions of decline abounded following the unwanted departure
of Neymar, Coutinho will greatly increase his options in a midfield that is
still heavily reliant on Iniesta for its playmaking spark.
Since the exit of Xavi two and a half years ago, and those of
Cesc Fabregas and Thiago Alcantara, Barca were in danger of seeing their
lineage of great midfielders broken. Coutinho showed at Liverpool that he can
play anywhere in the midfield. That versatility will help ensure him a place in
a Barcelona midfield that has a set group of first-choice players in Iniesta on
the left, Ivan Rakitic on the right, and Sergio Busquets in a defensive role,
but little else.
Ousmane Dembele would likely need to play in a 4-3-3 alongside
Messi and Suarez, while Coutinho could play on the right side of a midfield
line with Iniesta and Busquets. But Valverde has also gotten good results with
just Messi and Suarez in attack and a four-man midfield including Paulinho.
He will have to use different lineups regardless, because
Coutinho is cup-tied the Champions League. He will then have five more seasons
under the contract he has agreed to sign to help Barcelona win a sixth European
Cup. AP
(TOI)
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