Barcelona boss Ernesto Valverde has told Brazilian ace Philippe Coutinho that he must fight for a place in the starting line up.
The former Lverpool star has become a bit-part player with the Catalan giants and his appearance in a much-changed side which lost the Copa Del Rey clash to Levante last week was his first since December 2.
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Valverde compared Coutinho’s current situation with that of Ousmane Dembele’s earlier in the season when he wasn’t playing and he has said he will have to fight to get his way back in the side.
He told reporters: “When Dembele wasn’t playing, everyone was asking me about him.
“Now Dembele’s playing and Coutinho isn’t and the reverse is happening. When you do not play and you are not happy, you have to fight to change the situation.
“Coutinho is a great player who has given us a lot and will give us a lot. I will say the same about Dembele. It’s a repetitive question with interchangeable names.”
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