Friday 31 May 2019 09:41, UK
Philippe Coutinho “probably regrets” his decision to leave Liverpool to join Barcelona, according to the Reds' chairman Tom Werner.
The Brazil international signed for the Spanish giants in January 2018 for £146m after he pushed for a move, but he has since struggled to replicate the same form he enjoyed at Anfield.
Coutinho enjoyed a miserable return to Merseyside as Liverpool produced a remarkable comeback with a 4-0 win in the Champions League semi-final second leg to reach Europe's top-tier showpiece for the second successive year without him.
Werner believes Jurgen Klopp has taken Liverpool to a position where they can attract and retain the best players across the world, as they prepare for Saturday's Champions League final against Tottenham in Madrid.
"I would just point to the story of Philippe Coutinho," Werner told the ECHO.
"I have only good things to say about Philippe. But I think he left Liverpool because he wanted to play for one of the two big Spanish clubs.
"We tried to convince him that we had the club moving in the right direction and that he could experience big Champions League occasions by staying at Liverpool.
"I think he probably regrets his decision."
Coutinho scored five goals for Barcelona in La Liga to help Barcelona win the league title but the club suffered a dismal end to their season as they lost 2-1 to Valencia in the Copa del Rey final.
