Philippe Coutinho says he DOESN’T regret leaving Liverpool for Barcelona, even after his £145million move flopped, as he hails boss Steven Gerrard following their reunion at Aston Villa
- Philippe Coutinho has said he does not regret leaving Liverpool for Barcelona
- The Brazil international, 29, failed to live up to expectations when in Catalonia
- Coutinho is delighted to have linked up with former teammate Steven Gerrard
Philippe Coutinho says he has no regrets over his move from Liverpool to Barcelona, but is delighted after linking up with former teammate and Aston Villa manager Steven Gerrard.
The 29-year-old spent five year on Merseyside with the Reds, before sealing a switch to Barcelona in January 2018 in a £142million deal.
Despite a bright start at the Nou Camp, he eventually struggled to maintain his place in the starting XI, and was subsequently loaned out to Bayern Munich.
Philippe Coutinho says he has no regrets over leaving Liverpool for Barcelona in January 2018
The 29-year-old Brazilian returned to the Premier League joining Aston Villa last month
During his time with the Catalan giants, Coutinho made made 106 appearances before leaving for Aston Villa on loan last month.
When asked if he regrets his move from Liverpool, Coutinho told ESPN:
‘No. 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.’
Coutinho returned to England in January to link up with former Liverpool teammate Gerrard, who was appointed Villa boss in November.
The Brazil international has claimed it is an honour following their reunion in the West Midlands.
‘I always admired him a lot. For me, it was an honour to have played with him,’ Coutinho said.
Coutinho is delighted following a reunion with Villa boss and former teammate Steven Gerrard
The pair played together at Liverpool and Coutinho even went on to say Gerrard was his ‘idol’
‘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.’
