The rise of Coutinho

Philippe Coutinho is in the form of his life and Liverpool are flying. But how’s it happened? Here, the Brazilian lifts the lid on how Jurgen Klopp’s training tips have the team playing with more belief than ever and explains why Liverpool should be dreaming of the title…

Liverpool’s star player isn’t a natural extrovert. It’s only on the pitch where Philippe Coutinho really feels comfortable as the centre of attention. But that’s exactly what he’s become at Anfield this season with the Reds just one point off the top of the Premier League table.

The team’s creator-finisher, Coutinho is the only player in the division to have both scored and assisted five goals so far this season. Now 24, he’s taking on added responsibility and is loving the challenge. “I’m so happy when I’m playing football,” he tells Sky Sports.

“That’s what I like to do the most. When I come onto the pitch, that’s when I’m able to get into that zone and forget about everything else other than just doing my job. But even then, it’s not a job. It’s playing football and that’s something I love.”

He’s always been at home with the ball at his feet, something which becomes very clear as he runs through a series of speedy drills in Nike Football Training gear. The youngest of three brothers, he was just another boy in Rio who loved to play – and futsal was his introduction. “It definitely helped me,” he says. “It’s so quick. There’s less time to think in those smaller spaces.”

But where Coutinho has really grown as a player is off the field. A shy youngster, he arrived at Inter soon after his 18th birthday and found himself in the dressing room of the European champions. A team packed with experience, it would’ve been daunting for anyone.

“It was definitely difficult,” he admits. “I was really shy when I was back in Brazil so coming to Europe was very tough. I was arriving as a kid fresh from Brazil into a big team like Inter with a lot of star names.  But I feel so much better now.”

He speaks warmly of compatriot Lucio’s influence in those first months – “a big help to me” – just as he acknowledges the help of Lucas, Luis Suarez and Sebastian Coates in welcoming him …

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