Coutinho doesn't regret ill-fated Barcelona move
Martin Macdonald
- 26 Feb 2022 14:41 CST
- 5 min read
Philippe Coutinho insists he does not regret completing his ill-fated move from Liverpool to Barcelona.
After Ousmane Dembele failed to immediately replace Neymar in his first six months at Barcelona, the Blaugrana threw money at the problem again by purchasing Coutinho for an outrageous initial fee of €122m plus bonuses.
The move has turned out to be a disaster for all parties as Coutinho has failed to make an impact on the team, regularly taking up the same positions as Lionel Messi which is a no-go.
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He returned to the club after he failed to earn a permanent move to Bayern after a loan deal.
Messi is no longer there anymore which presented an opportunity for Coutinho to impress, but injuries and a lack of form have hampered any impact he could have made.
In the 2022 January transfer window, he left on loan to Aston Villa.
Even though his career has undoubtedly stagnated after the Barcelona transfer, Coutinho says he has no regrets.
"No," he told ESPN when asked if he regretted the move.
"At certain times we have to make decisions, and one of my big dreams was to play for Barcelona.
"At that moment I decided to make that decision, but always with great affection, respect and gratitude for Liverpool and for the friendships over the years I've been in the club.
"At that moment I had a decision to make and I don't regret it."
Aston Villa the right fit for Coutinho
Coutinho has hit the ground running at Aston Villa under former team-mate Steven Gerrard, scoring two goals and recording two assists in four starts.
The Brazilian has revealed his respect for Gerrard and given an insight into his management.
"I always admired him a lot. For me, it was an honour to have played with him," he explained.
"Now having him as a coach, with the experience he has, training has been strong and demanding.
"He has great ambitions, I am happy to be here and I hope to respond to what he expects by helping our team to achieve our goals.
"For me, it was an honour to be part of his career as a player, and now, as a coach, I feel even more honoured.
"I have always had this relationship of admiration and respect. I wish I had that opportunity to work with him again. He's a guy who's very open to all players and has a lot of influence in the group."
