Brazilian superstar Philippe Coutinho has reflected on his decision to depart Liverpool for Barcelona in January 2018, despite warnings from Jürgen Klopp. Despite the move not unfolding as he envisioned, Coutinho maintains that he holds no regrets.
Coutinho, who was adored by fans at Liverpool, attracted Barcelona’s interest following Andrés Iniesta’s departure in 2017. Despite Klopp’s cautionary advice, the Brazilian opted to pursue the move. Klopp’s words at the time were poignant: “Stay here, and they will end up building a statue in your honor.
Go somewhere else, to Barcelona, to Bayern Munich, to Real Madrid, and you will be just another player. Here you can be something more.” Nonetheless, Coutinho chose to ignore these words, eventually completing a significant transfer to Barcelona worth €135 million.
However, Coutinho’s time at Camp Nou didn’t unfold as expected. After a promising start, he found himself sidelined and subsequently loaned out to clubs like Bayern Munich and Aston Villa, where he eventually made a permanent move for €20 million in the summer of 2022.
Reflecting on his departure from Liverpool, Coutinho acknowledged that his Barcelona stint didn’t materialize as anticipated. However, he remains steadfast in his decision, emphasizing that it was his lifelong dream to don the Blaugrana jersey.
“Things did not turn out as I imagined, as people expected, as I expected because I am the first to demand of myself on the field,” he stated.
“I tried everything, I have always been very professional and I don’t regret anything. It was always my dream to play for Barça and I went there, I enjoyed it, I was able to meet many people, win titles, and it will always be in the story of my life,” he added.
Currently, on loan at Al Duhail SC from Aston Villa, Coutinho has made 12 appearances for the club this season, contributing four goals and one assist across all competitions.
