Philippe Coutinho is working to regain his best form in Brazil, now wearing the colors of Vasco da Gama, but he has not forgotten his disappointing spell at FC Barcelona. With honesty and self-criticism, the Brazilian spoke about the reasons behind his underwhelming performance at the Catalan club between 2018 and 2022.

In recent years, Barça has managed to rebuild its path under the leadership of Hansi Flick, but its recent history of failed signings still casts a shadow. Big investments like Antoine Griezmann, Malcom, Ousmane Dembélé, Zlatan Ibrahimovic, and Miralem Pjanic are among the expensive bets that failed to deliver the expected results. Years of rushed transfer decisions left deep scars, and Philippe Coutinho stands out as one of the most notorious examples from that period.

Philippe Coutinho reveals the reasons behind his failure at FC Barcelona

Signed in January 2018 from Liverpool for 160 million euros, Coutinho was considered one of the brightest talents in world football. His first few months at Camp Nou were promising, but everything changed after the World Cup in Russia. "My first six months at Barcelona were really good. We won a title, and I was playing at a high level. But after the World Cup, my performance dropped significantly," he recently admitted to the Brazilian press.

The playmaker also acknowledged that he struggled with the pressure: "I wanted to meet everyone's expectations, including my own, but I couldn't do it." After his decline at the Catalan club, Coutinho spent time on loan at Bayern Munich — where he even won the Champions League — and Aston Villa, the club that eventually signed him permanently in 2022.

Currently 32 years old, the midfielder is seeking a fresh start in his home country. Playing for Vasco da Gama, he has already made 16 official appearances this 2024-2025 season, scoring 5 goals and providing 2 assists across all competitions. These performances are helping him stay active before returning to Aston Villa, where his contract runs until June 2026.

Although his time at Barcelona fell short of expectations, Philippe Coutinho shows he still has the passion for football and more chapters to write in his career.