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Barcelona take on Bayern Munich in the Champions League quarter-finals on Friday in a match which will see the club come up against their very own Philippe Coutinho.
The Brazilian has spent the season on loan with the Bundesliga champions and is eligible to play in Friday’s big match, meaning he could play a part in knocking his parent club out of Europe’s top competition.
Coutinho has been named in Bayern’s squad for the final stages of the tournament which will be played as one-off games in Lisbon, Portugal.
The Champions League represents Barcelona’s only remaining chance of landing silverware in 2019-20. If they fail to lift the European Cup they will end the season empty-handed for the first time since 2007-08.
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Will Coutinho Start on Friday?
There is, of course, no guarantee Coutinho will start the match against Barcelona, but he could enjoy some game time off the bench. The Brazilian was a second-half substitute in Friday’s 4-1 win over Chelsea in the last-16.
Much may depend on the fitness of Kingsley Coman. The Frenchman has been struggling with a muscular injury but was back in training on Monday ahead of the match.
Coutinho is not a guaranteed starter at Bayern but has made an impact this season, scoring nine goals and producing eight assists in 31 Bundesliga and Champions League outings.
Yet the forward has not done enough to convince Bayern to activate the purchase option in his clause which was set at an eye-watering €120 million ($180 million).
Coutinho’s Future Unclear
Coutinho has already helped Bayern win the Bundesliga and German Cup this season and could end the season with the treble if Hansi Flick’s side do go on and lift the European Cup.
However, it’s still not clear where he will play his football next season. Coutinho’s agent, Kia Joorabchian, has offered an update on the Brazilian’s future.
“After the Champions League, it’s not been a secret that he wants to come back to the Premier League if he can; he loves playing in the Premier League and is adored in the Premier League.
“It is one of his priorities… but he is also not against staying at Barcelona, so it is very much open.”
Barcelona are keen to sell Coutinho but may struggle to find a buyer willing to meet their asking price in the current financial climate, meaning if he does leave the Camp Nou it’s more likely to be on another loan.
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