Ronald Koeman has praised Philippe Coutinho's impact off the bench for Barcelona in a 3-1 win against Valencia on Sunday, stating that he has "always believed" in the player's abilities and suggesting the midfielder could earn a larger role in the team with physical improvement.
The Brazil international was brought on just shy of the hour mark at Camp Nou with his side holding a one-goal lead, and ultimately snagged their third to assure victory late in the day.
It marked the first top-flight goal Coutinho has scored since late-2020, having been sidelined for much of the last term - but now his manager has been quick to sing his praises.