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Former Liverpool star Philippe Coutinho has admitted that his time at Barcelona has been far from ideal since his move to the Catalan club in January 2018.

As reported in Marca, Coutinho was in a frank and honest mood when interviewed on Brazilian international duty in recent days.

When asked about his season at Barcelona, Coutinho said:

“I have not had a good season.

“My performances have been a lot worse than I expected they would.

“The only way to improve and gain confidence is through hard work, and I have been working hard.”

Coutinho’s international teammate, Thiago Silva, commented on the former Liverpool star’s form and current demeanour within the Brazilian setup.

“In the two friendlies that we have played, he has been the best player on the pitch.

“Not just because of his passing and goal scoring ability but also his defensive work-rate.

“He is a lot happier again now and he is playing with a smile.”

Philippe Coutinho got his wish when he moved to Barcelona in almost 18 months ago. The Brazilian magician left Anfield in the same week that Virgil van Dijk joined the club.

Coutinho viewed Barcelona as the ultimate dream club to play for but his time in LaLiga has been disappointing. He has also had to deal with the discontent of the Barcelona fans who have not kept their feelings towards Coutinho under wraps. He has been booed in many games at Camp Nou this season.

Meanwhile, Liverpool has played in two Champions League finals since his departure, winning their sixth European Cup title just ten days ago.

There have been rumours that Coutinho could be on the way out of Barcelona as early as this summer. It’s unlikely that Jurgen Klopp would welcome Coutinho back into the fold but stranger things have happened.

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