Pressure keeping Coutinho out of the Barça side

Pressure keeping Coutinho out of the Barça side

Manolo G. Crespo
Tercer palo de Coutinho esta temporada
Tercer palo de Coutinho esta temporada | EFE

Philippe Coutinho is not passing through his best moment of form at the moment, but the truth is it's difficult to find when the Brazilian has been important for Barcelona in a long period of team. The team is still waiting for Coutino to take a step forward, like he did at the World Cup when Neymar wasn't fully fit after his injury. When Lionel Messi was injured this season, Luis Suarez came to the rescue. Philippe cowered. 

Thost typical goals with his right foot, whipped into the corner, can bring fans out of their seats, but it's also true that you have to go back to the end of October for his last goal. He opened the scoring in the Clasico against Real Madrid. 

Price, goals and style. What's true is that everything is pressuring Coutinho. First of all, the price that he cost, the most expensive signing in Barça's history, is always a noose around his neck -- even if on the day of his presentation he said that "it's not an added pressure, it's an honour." 

Secondly, Ousmane Dembele. Despite his indiscipline problems and his youthful mistake, he's taken Coutinho's place with his goals and his decisive performances. 

Thirdly, if we go to midfield, coach Ernesto Valverde is even giving more minutes to Arturo Vidal. And, if he's then looking to recover the team's more defined style, he turns to Arthur Melo ahead of Coutinho. For that reason, the Brazilian has a problem and is being pushed out of the XI. Only he can turn things around, but now he's more out than in when it comes to Valverde's starting lineup.