Report: Coutinho to Stage Liverpool Champions League No-Show, Stay Eligible for Barcelona
Philippe Coutinho will refuse to play for Liverpool in the Champions League - so he is not cup-tied to play for Barcelona in the competition after the turn of the year.
That is according to Sport, who still claim that the Brazil international is still holding out for a move to Catalunya and thinks he will finally move to the Nou Camp in the January transfer window.
Coutinho was denied the chance to complete a dream move to La Liga when Liverpool rejected Barcelona's fourth and final offer of the Spanish summer window last Friday - believed to be around £150m plus add-ons - and must now face up to spending time at Anfield for at least the first half of this season.
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The 25-year-old, who is yet to feature for the Reds this term, has been included in Jurgen Klopp's 25-man squad for the 2017/18 Champions League group stage campaign.
However, Sport has reported that Coutinho will go to any length to prevent Klopp selecting him as part of his starting lineup, as playing for Liverpool in UEFA's continental tournament would make him unable to feature for Barcelona in the second half of the competition.
That is, of course, if Coutinho completes a transfer to Barca in the winter window. Doing so, and playing for the Merseysiders in the group stage, would make him ineligible to star for La Blaugrana in any knock out match from February onwards, however.
Such behaviour would certainly see Klopp throw the rule book at Coutinho if he was found to be lying over a fake injury or refusing to play, and could see Klopp and Liverpool's owners dig their heels in further over any possible deal that allows Coutinho to depart.
Coutinho could be in action for Brazil in Tuesday's World Cup qualifier against Colombia after he starred for his country in the 2-0 victory over Ecuador last Thursday - a match he also scored in.
