By-Oma Akatugba
Philippe Coutinho has been one of football’s most exciting footballers in recent time. After being signed on by Inter Milan, just at the age of 16, loan spells to Vasco Da Gama, and Espanyol set the perfect stage for the Brazilian’s rise at the San Siro. Liverpool soon showed interest, signing Coutinho in 2013 for just €8million, a fee which turned out to be a bargain for the Merseyside team.
Coutinho’s four years at Anfield have been some of his best, proving talismanic within the period, becoming a fan favourite which earned him a dream €120million move to Barcelona. Coutinho a central midfielder by trade didn’t have a swell time in Barcelona, having to play from the wings on most occasions.
His desire of a more central role and regular game time lured him to Bayern Munich on loan where he has revelled greatly. Coutinho, speaking with the Bundesliga channel revealed how it all started for him, his love for the game of football, his Brazilian roots and his time so far in Germany.
What was it like growing up in the streets of Brazil
“Where I lived there was a concrete football pitch. I played football almost every day there with my friends. While I was growing up, I always listened to the fans in the Maracanã. I always dreamt of one day playing there as a professional. And then I had the opportunity to make this dream a reality.”
What do you think about Lewandowski giving you the chance to score your first goal for FC Bayern München?
“Everyone knows how special it is to score a hat-trick. He had the opportunity to do so and he is the designated penalty taker. But he gave me the opportunity to score my first goal in front of our fans. It was certainly a very special moment and I was able to score – I was very happy and grateful.”
What do you think of the Bundesliga so far?
“I think that the Bundesliga is very similar to the Premier League in terms of the intensity of the games. The matches are always very even. Every team fights until the very end, for every single ball. This makes the games very intense. There is not much space to think or to hesitate on the ball.”
