Philippe Coutinho arrived to the FC Barcelona the past market of signings of pertinent winter of the Liverpool, in return of 120 million fixed euros and other 40 in easy variables to fulfil. In the English team turned into a player of first world-wide level, what called the Barcelona attention, but before had to go through other teams and situations.
One of the technicians that knows him well is Rafa Benítez, that at present directs to the Newcastle but that coincided with the Barcelona in the Inter of Milan, when the Brazilian had hardly 18 years and began to stand out. In this period, the youngster Coutinho had to coexist with a lot of egos in the changing room, something that explained the Spanish trainer.
In an extensive interview to the BBC, Benítez analysed what happened Coutinho in this period in the changing room neroazzurro, full of footballers that came to win a triplete with José Mourinho. "When I was to the Inter promised me signings, but did not sign to anybody, and if you do not do it, then safe that have sportive problems", began, the Spanish technician.
Benítez Commented that the average of age of the staff and the injuries opened him the door to Coutinho, that then was a firm promise. "There were 15 greater footballers of 30 years, some even with 36, 37 and 38 years. An average of age very high, that to necessary a renewal", said, adding that "afterwards the injuries that had worsened the situation".
It was then when, according to Benítez, the 'heavy weights' of the staff did not accept that Coutinho went through them on. "Some players did not want to darse that they had to leave a space in the staff and in the team for players like Philippe Coutinho, that were 18 years old in this moment. The players that won the 'triplete' did not understand this, did not understand that Coutinho could play by in front of them", sentenced.
Injury and cession to the Espanyol
Philippe Coutinho, in full progression, suffered a long injury that had him time separated of the terrains of game. Once recovered, left yielded to the RCD Espanyol, where began to marvel in LaLiga with his brushstrokes of class. Later, it was sold to the Liverpool, team in which it exploded and consecrated .