After being handed the first start in Bundesliga, Philippe Coutinho is aiming to improve his performances for Bayern Munich.
Bayern Munich went into the first international break on a positive note by thrashing Mainz at Allianz Arena on Saturday. The defending champions moved to second place in the table, two points behind RB Leipzig.
Niko Kovac made few changes to the starting lineup in this game. The Croatian decided to hand Philippe Coutinho and Ivan Perisic their first start in Bayern colors. Perisic capped off a good display by grabbing his first goal and assist for Die Roten.
Coutinho meanwhile kept it ticking in the center of the park, but couldn’t find the back of the net. The former Liverpool forward is still adapting to the new club and league. He will need some time to hit top form as he missed the majority of pre-season due to Brazil’s participation in Copa America.
The Brazilian was in positive mood after the game. Speaking to Bundesliga.com, Coutinho insisted that his performances will improve for Die Roten as the season progresses. He is also relishing the chance of learning from world-class players at Bayern.
"“There are a lot of good players, top players, and great players here.”“I’m really happy to be here so that I can learn from them and get better.”"
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Coutinho became one of the most influential forwards in Europe during his time at Liverpool. He eventually sealed a dream move to Barcelona. However, things didn’t go well for Brazil international as he struggled to emulate his good form for the Spanish side.
Niko Kovac has the task of reigniting the spark in Coutinho. The Croatian will have a serial game-changer on his hands if he manages to help Coutinho to find his mojo. His exploits can help Bayern to do well in Europe along with maintaining the dominance in the domestic competitions.
Coutinho has the ideal conditions at Bayern to get back to his best. His attributes are best utilized when he is playing just behind the striker. At Barcelona, he was shunted on the left flank regularly, which eventually affected his performances. There is competition in that position at Bayern, but Coutinho is likely to be given a decent run in his favored role.
Robert Lewandowski has already backed Coutinho to succeed at Bayern. The Polish striker will benefit the most if the Brazilian can hit top form in Bavaria. The Bundesliga champions will be hoping that this duo forms a lethal partnership in the final third and help them to win silverware this season.