Philippe Coutinho’s most iconic moments for Liverpool, Bayern Munich and more
- Dan Barnes
- 7 January 2022
Brazilian star Philippe Coutinho might not have hit the heights expected of him at Barcelona, but he now has a chance to reignite his career at Aston Villa and made a dream debut for the club.
Coutinho lit up the Premier League after his move to Liverpool in 2013, wowing fans with his flair and technical ability.
He then made a £146million move to Barcelona, but failed to reach similar heights. A season-long loan at Bayern Munich was designed to help rediscover his form, and while it did add a Champions League medal to his CV, it didn't help him claim a spot in the starting XI back at Camp Nou.
Now, having fallen out of favour in Spain, the 29-year-old has made a dramatic return to the Premier League, reuniting with former Liverpool teammate Steven Gerrard at Aston Villa.
Upon his arrival, Gerrard reminded the media of Coutinho's "magician" nickname and he justified his comments by scoring on his debut for the club against Manchester United. Here, Planet Sport outline just how the tricky Brazilian ended up with that revered title.
Making an immediate impact
Many players struggle to adapt to the physical demands of the Premier League, but this certainly wasn't the case for Coutinho.
In February 2013, the Brazilian marked his full debut for Liverpool with a goal in a convincing 5-0 win over Swansea City at Anfield. It was a goal that perfectly summed up Coutinho's flair, making it look easy as he sent the goalkeeper the wrong way.
It was just the start of a remarkable spell on Merseyside for the midfielder, who went on to score 54 goals in 201 appearances for the Reds.
That goal against Manchester City
The 2013/14 season will live long in the memories of Liverpool fans. Brendan Rodgers' side narrowly missed out on the Premier League title after consistently blowing teams away with their firepower in attack.
One of the most memorable games of the season was when the Reds welcomed Manchester City to Anfield in a crucial fixture in the title race.
Liverpool ran out 3-2 winners thanks to Coutinho's late strike - a superb effort that gave Joe Hart absolutely no chance.
While Rodgers' men missed out on the title, Coutinho's winner and the following celebrations at Anfield will go down as one of the most iconic moments in Premier League history.
Flying the flag
In April 2017, Coutinho came off the bench to score in a 2-1 win at Stoke City with a ruthless strike from the edge of the box.
The midfielder became the top Brazilian scorer in Premier League history, overtaking former Middlesbrough star Juninho's total.
While Coutinho's record has since been broken by former Liverpool teammate Roberto Firmino, it shows just how effective he was in an advanced midfield role.
Europa League heartbreak
In the 2015/16 season, Liverpool suffered heartbreak in Europe after losing 3-1 to Sevilla in the Europa League final.
Coutinho was integral throughout the competition and scored against rivals Manchester United in the round of 16 as the Reds earned a 3-1 aggregate victory.
The midfielder was on target once again as Jurgen Klopp's men produced a thrilling comeback against Borussia Dortmund in the quarterfinal, despite trailing 3-1 in the second leg. The tie was yet another example of a famous European night at Anfield.
Losing in the final was a bitter pill to swallow, but it wouldn't be long before the Reds added to their list of European titles.
Big money move
In January 2018, Coutinho joined Barcelona for a £146million price tag, becoming one of the most expensive players of all time. The Spanish giants had already had three bids for the midfielder turned down by Liverpool.
"It is no secret that Philippe has wanted this move to happen since July, when Barcelona first made their interest known," Klopp told the club website. "The club did everything within our means to convince Phillipe that remaining part of Liverpool was as attractive as moving to Spain."
The Reds have since used the funds from Coutinho's move to bring in Allison and Virgil van Dijk, two players who have helped Klopp's men become a leading force in European football.
Playing on the world's biggest stage
Coutinho was named in the Brazil squad for the 2018 World Cup in Russia. He marked his first World Cup appearance with a goal, finding the top corner with a brilliant strike in a 1-1 draw with Switzerland.
Coutinho was also on target in a 2-0 win over Costa Rica in the group stage, with both goals coming in injury time.
However, Brazil failed to reclaim the famous trophy after suffering a 2-1 defeat to Belgium in the quarterfinal.
The midfielder has achieved more than most on the international stage, earning over 50 caps for his country.
European glory
After a difficult time in Spain, Coutinho joined Bayern Munich on a season-long loan in the summer of 2019.
The Brazilian impressed during his time at the Allianz Arena, scoring 11 goals and nine assists in 38 appearances.
The highlight of Coutinho's time in Germany was undoubtedly winning the Champions League title for the first time in his career, following a 1-0 win over Paris Saint-Germain in the final. The midfielder came off the bench in the second half, replacing former Arsenal man Serge Gnabry.
Coutinho bagged a brace in a dominant 8-2 win over parent club Barcelona in the quarterfinal, and also scored in a 3-1 victory over Tottenham Hotspur in the group stage. He finished the tournament with three goals and three assists from 11 appearances.
Swapping Barcelona for Birmingham
After falling out of favour at Barcelona, Coutinho saw his role under Xavi limited to being a substitute. As a result, he looked for a move elsewhere and ended up at Aston Villa in the Premier League.
The deal was completed on January 7, 2022 - four years after he departed for Barcelona. Both sides agreed to an initial loan deal, but Villa have the option to sign Coutinho permanently at the end of the 2021/22 season.
The Brazilian made his debut for Villa as a substitute against Manchester United. Trailing 2-0 with just over 10 minutes to go, an inspired performance from Coutinho helped not only create a goal for Jacob Ramsey but also score the equaliser to earn Villa a 2-2 draw.
