Philippe Coutinho cannot continue the old glory days at FC Bayern. Rivaldo explains why he is not surprised by the lack of an explosion in performance.
Philippe Coutinho has never really got going since he joined FC Bayern.
But the fact that the Brazilian has not yet managed to catch up with Germany is no surprise to his compatriot Rivaldo.
“I’ve always thought that Coutinho could adapt better to Spanish than German football, partly because of the language and lifestyle for a Brazilian in Germany,” the FC Barcelona legend told Betfair in an interview. Unfortunately it didn’t fit in either league and he will return to Barcelona.”
Rivaldo: “He has to prove that everyone was wrong”
After the last-minute transfer to the German record champions, those responsible at FC Bayern were happy to have a world-class player on board at short notice – after Leroy Sané’s serious injury – but Coutinho has so far been unable to meet the high expectations placed in him.
Rivaldo is therefore now taking the 27-year-old to task: “I believe in his qualities and think that there is also something to his will and mental strength. He must prove that everyone was wrong to write him off and that he can still make the difference.
Coutinho transferred from Liverpool FC, where he dominated the Reds’ game for years, to FC Barcelona in January 2018. However, the 27-year-old never really gained a foothold there. The move to FC Bayern took place in the summer – but a future beyond the summer is highly questionable.