Philippe Coutinho still has the support of his Barcelona team-mates and manager despite his inconsistency, according to reports.
Coutinho has not yet truly settled at the Nou Camp since joining 12 months ago, with manager Ernesto Valverde claimed to have ‘given up’ on the Brazilian.
It never seemed particularly likely that rumours linking Coutinho with a move to Manchester United in January would come to fruition, while even former club Liverpool and Premier League rivals Chelsea were reportedly interested.
Coutinho struggled to make an impact on Wednesday’s El Clasico against Real Madrid and it was the final straw for some with Spanish journalist Lluis Mascaro calling on Barcelona to sell the 26-year-old.
However, a report in Sport claims that despite Coutinho’s current ‘sad’ mood, he still retains the backing of his team-mates and manager at the Camp Nou.
The former Liverpool playmaker followed up his good performance against Sevilla in the Copa del Rey – where he scored a brace – with a poor display against Real.
Coutinho, who has scored eight goals and provided five assists in 32 appearances, is understood to be frustrated by his inconsistent performances but his team-mates believe he will eventually come good.
The report adds that the squad have backed Valverde’s decision to give Coutinho more minutes in an attempt to get him firing.
It is also his exemplary behaviour on and off the pitch that has endeared him to his team-mates during his recent struggles.