Liverpool Coped Well Without Barcelona Playmaker

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has praised his players for coping well with the pressure of losing a great player like Philippe Coutinho.

Brazilian international star Coutinho was a Liverpool player until he swapped the Reds for Barcelona at the start of last year.

Coutinho signed for Barcelona from Premier League title chasers Liverpool during the 2018 winter transfer window.

Barcelona were said to have paid an initial transfer fee of £116m for Coutinho who made over 200 appearances for the Reds during his six-year spell at the club.

Klopp talked about the little magician during his pre-match press conference ahead of the Champions League semifinal first leg meeting with Coutinho and Barcelona.

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The Liverpool players are expected to reunite with Coutinho during the game.

Klopp admitted to reporters that he didn’t expect his team to cope with the loss of Coutinho to Barcelona like it has turned out to be.

Without Coutinho, Liverpool have been transformed to title challengers in both the Premier League and the Champions League.

The Reds surprised many by reaching the final of last season’s Champions League final without the aforementioned Coutinho before they were beaten by eventual champions Real Madrid.

Liverpool have been Premier League title challengers for the first time in almost five years without Coutinho and they are also two games away from another Champions League final.