BARCELONA (REUTERS) - Barcelona shelled out a club record €160 million (S$250 million) to prise Philippe Coutinho from Liverpool, yet one year on from his signing, the Brazilian is struggling to get a game while his former side are thriving in his absence.
Coutinho, the third most expensive player in the world behind Paris St Germain's Neymar and Kylian Mbappe, made a flying start to his Barcelona career with 10 goals in his first five months, giving the team a more direct outlet in midfield and an extra threat with his impressive long-range shooting.
But his impact has waned. He has failed to start any of the La Liga leaders' last three league games, falling behind Chilean midfielder Arturo Vidal and French forward Ousmane Dembele in the pecking order.
Coach Ernesto Valverde has stopped short of publicly criticising the player, and neglected to say whether he had a preference for Coutinho or Dembele, the club's second most expensive acquisition at 105 million euros.
"It's a long way from being a problem having them both. It's an advantage," Valverde said last month.
"The coach is pro-Barca, he wants the team to win."
Valverde's recent team selections, however, may offer a clue to his thinking.
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There was no place for Coutinho when Valverde fielded an unorthodox 3-5-2 formation in the recent 5-0 hammering of Levante, while he also left the Brazilian out when playing his usual 4-3-3 shape in victories over Espanyol and Celta Vigo.
The coach did pick Coutinho for a visit to Rayo Vallecano in November, but when he saw his side losing 2-1 at one of the weakest teams in the top flight, he hauled off the Brazilian and later brought on Dembele, who scored as Barca pulled off a dramatic 3-2 victory.
In the last three league outings, Valverde has continued to show faith in Dembele, despite the French youngster running into trouble for turning up late to training.
With the lightning quick forward forming a blistering attacking trident with Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez, and the highly-experienced Vidal slotting comfortably into the midfield three, Coutinho has been forced to make do with cameo appearances from the bench.
It is quite the fall from grace for a player many believed was signed as the long-term successor to Andres Iniesta, who ended 16 trophy-laden seasons with Barca last May to see out his career in Japan.
With Liverpool sitting four points clear at the top of the Premier League, Coutinho may be wondering on Sunday's anniversary of his transfer from Anfield to the Nou Camp whether it was quite the dream move he had imagined at the time.
Juventus beat Fiorentina 2-1 to win the title. (Source: AP) Juventus overcame their European blues when they fought back to beat Fiorentina 2-1 at home on Saturday and claim the Serie A title for a remarkable eighth season in a row.
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Pep Guardiola trusts Manchester City to resolve Financial Fair Play allegations European soccer's governing body opened a formal investigation into the alleged FFP violations on Thursday, a move Manchester City welcomed in a bid to end speculation surrounding the club's sponsorship agreements.
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Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp says Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain is "ahead of schedule" and could return to full training in February following a serious knee injury.
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Everton avoided a third consecutive Premier League home defeat as Kurt Zouma's header and a late goal by Dominic Calvert-Lewin earned them a flattering 2-0 victory against Bournemouth at a rainy Goodison Park on Sunday.
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United will attack Spurs, vows Lingard brand of football under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer when they travel to Tottenham on Sunday. Paris Saint-Germain ended the
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Jurgen Klopp has urged his Liverpool players to fight with every fibre of their bodies for the Premier League title, while also issuing a rallying call to supporters. The Reds host Bournemouth at
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Real Madrid have lost Cristiano Ronaldo's goals but gained renewed desire - Sergio Ramos is one of many desperate to prove they don't need him to win Champions League again
WEST HAM UNITED 3 SOUTHAMPTON 0 May 4 (Reuters) - Two goals from Marko Arnautovic and Ryan Fredericks's first Premier League strike helped West Ham Arnautovic ends drought as West Ham sink
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REUTERS - Ryan Babel struck a potentially deadly blow to Cardiff City's Premier League survival chances with a stunning 25-yard strike that secured relegated Fulham a deserved 1-0 win at Craven
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Cesc Fabregas has completed his move from Chelsea to Ligue 1 struggler AS Monaco, with both clubs announcing the move on Friday. Fabregas has put pen to paper on a three-and-a-half-year deal at the Stade Louis II after passing a medical earlier in the day, as he teams up with former Arsenal teammate Thierry Henry on the Mediterranean coast.
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Interviewed by Spanish TV channel La Sexta on Sunday, the pope praised his Argentine compatriot Messi, but said he must not be called God. Two 'He's great to watch, but he's not God': Pope sets
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"The boss knows how happy I am to be here and I am grateful to him," Morata said. "We want to qualify as soon as possible for the Euros so it was important to win today." Malta lie 182nd in FIFA's world rankings, between Liechtenstein and Macau.
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