European Team of the Season: LM – Philippe Coutinho (Barcelona)

Rounding off the midfield in the European team of the season is Barcelona star Philippe Coutinho. 

Coupled with his Liverpool performances, the Brazilian attained a WhoScored.com rating of 7.83 this season, that enough to feature on the left flank in the XI. Coutinho was one of 14 players to register double figures for goals (15) and assists (11) in Europe’s top five leagues term as he transferred his fine league from from the Premier League to La Liga with ease on the back of his January move. 

No player scored more goals from outside of the box than Coutinho (8) on the continent this term as he routinely chanced his luck from distance to good effect, reinforcing a statistically calculated WhoScored.com strength of ‘long shots’. His good performances won him a total of eight WhoScored.com man of the match awards, with the 25-year-old enjoying a fine campaign. 

His form will boost a Brazil side hoping to go the full distance in Russia next month, with Coutinho one of the first names on the team sheet under Tite. Crucially still was that the attacker continued his impressive showings at Camp Nou, despite only joining in January. On the back of a full pre-season, we can expect Coutinho to churn out more match winning displays in the coming campaign. 

This season, though, despite uncertainty surrounding his future, the Brazil international was at his flamboyant best, much to the benefit of both Liverpool and Barcelona. He very much warrants his place in the WhoScored.com European team of the season as he excelled in the final third.