Ernesto Valverde tells Philippe Coutinho he must fight as Denis Suarez saves Barcelona

Coutinho was on the score sheet on Thursday but failed to truly take his chance back in the team.
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Ben Hayward11 January 2019

It could have been worse for Barcelona in the end.

A 2-1 defeat at Levante in the first game of their Copa del Rey last-16 match-up is only a minor setback and in the second leg at Camp Nou next Thursday, the Catalans should be able to turn the tie around.

Coach Ernesto Valverde will not like what he saw in the first half at the Ciutat de Valencia last night, when his side went two down inside 18 minutes and could have conceded again after that.

Debutant Jeison Murillo did well in defence, but youngsters Juan Miranda and Chumi were not up to it and both were substituted before greater damage was done.

In Pictures | Levante vs Barcelona | 10/01

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Further forward, Philippe Coutinho was disappointing. The Brazilian had not started a game for Barca since the Champions League dead rubber against Tottenham in December and he is not the man on form at the moment.

“Perhaps he’s not at the level he was last year,” Valverde’s assistant Jon Aspiazu told Gol TV before the game. “Dembele has overtaken him a little bit, but he’s a player we consider to be a starter and he’ll be very important for us for the rest of the season.”

Coutinho scored the goal that reduced the deficit five minutes from time as he converted from the penalty spot, but it was his only real memorable contribution on the night and Levante goalkeeper Aitor Fernandez came very close to saving it as well.

“When [Ousmane] Dembele wasn’t playing, everyone was asking about him,” Valverde said afterwards. “Now Coutinho isn’t playing and it’s the other way around. When a player isn’t playing or isn’t happy, he has to fight to revert the situation.”

But the Brazilian did not exactly grab his chance here. Again his decision making was poor, his shooting was off and he created little of note for Dembele and Malcom alongside him.

Suarez took his chance against Levante on Thursday.
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There were plenty of homegrown players on the pitch for Barca, but in attack it is more difficult and Denis Suarez has seen his opportunities limited at the Catalan club this season.

The 25-year-old is wanted by Arsenal, but may end staying at Camp Nou until the end of the season as the Gunners do not seem to have funds available for transfers at the moment.

Denis scored twice against Cultural Leonesa in the last round and rescued Barca here after replacing Malcom in the 67th minute as he made a number of incisive runs down the right and ended up winning the all-important penalty shortly before the end.

“We weren’t sharp today, especially in the first half,” Valverde said. “But Denis’ move leaves the tie open. Let’s see what happens in the return leg. We want to go through.”

Valverde was criticised last season for picking strong sides in the Copa and then seeing his team beaten by Roma in the Champions League.

His selections this time show that he looks to have learned lessons from that disappointment now, though, and a mixture of youth and experience seems to be his plan for the cup competition in 2018-19.

The fact that Coutinho is only a guaranteed starter in these games is proof of the Brazilian’s recent fall from grace at Camp Nou in recent times and as Valverde said, he will have to fight for his place in the line-up now – especially as Barca consider bringing back Neymar in the summer.

For his part, Denis surely will be off sooner or later, but this display showed he can be a valuable acquisition for his next club and his contribution may have just saved Barca's skin in the Copa as they seek a fifth successive trophy in the competition.

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