1,000 Days To Become Indispensable

This Friday, October 2nd, is the 1000th day since the announcement of Philippe Coutinho’s transfer to FC Barcelona. After more than two years, the Brazilian seems to have finally found his place in the Catalan team.

1,000 days ago, as ‘Marca’ recalls, FC Barcelona announced what was at the time one of the most exciting signings for the club in years. Philippe Coutinho left Liverpool behind to sign for the Barcelona club.

The Brazilian international landed at Camp Nou in the middle of the 2017-18 campaign and his first few months, without being brilliant, left a good taste in his mouth that, all of a sudden, disappeared in November 2018.

His second season at Barca was less than good, with Coutinho getting into trouble with the fans, which led to him going on loan to Bayern for the 2019-20 season. The move to the German side was his only option due to the lack of offers for the player.

In Munich he cleaned up and achieved a dream treble. This summer he returned to a Barca that, 1,000 days after his signing, seems to have found a use for the talented player.

Ronald Koeman, the new manager, has bet on him from the start and, with a 4-2-3-1 formation, Coutinho is playing as a CAM, a suitable position for him and nonexistent in the classic 4-3-3 that the team was playing in before.

Now Coutinho moves more freely on the pitch, has more freedom and features much more, whether it’s trying his luck with a shot, leading the counter-attack, or filtering goal-scoring passes, like the one he supplied to Ansu Fati at Balaídos.

Coutinho has gone from being expendable to having a fundamental role in a new, exciting Barca. Only time will tell if Coutinho comes to enjoy playing for Barca again.