What’s next for Philippe Coutinho and Barcelona?

Brazilian star Coutinho has struggled to adjust to life at the Camp Nou since his £146 million move from Liverpool.

Barcelona’s 4-4 draw against a Villarreal side battling relegation on Tuesday at the Estadio de la Cerámica served as almost the perfect encapsulation of Philippe Coutinho‘s hot-and-cold career in Catalonia. Without Lionel Messi to start the game, the Blaugrana looked to Coutinho to lift them to victory and maintain a 10-point gap at the La Liga summit.

Just 12 minutes in, Coutinho delivered, making a surging run through the heart of the Yellow Submarine’s defense and tapping home a cross following a stunning move from fellow Brazilian Malcom Oliveira.

More from FC Barcelona

• Alexia Putellas reaches 400 games with Barcelona
• Barcelona put five past Real Betis
• Xavi backs struggling Robert Lewandowski
• Gavi youngest Barcelona player to reach 100 games
• Barcelona struggle but pull out win against Osasuna

From that point on, however, Coutinho failed to make a real impact as Barcelona gave up four consecutive goals to trail before Messi and Luis Suárez saved the Catalans from utter embarrassment.

When Coutinho arrived from Anfield last January, there was a clear expectation for Barcelona’s record signing and the third-most expensive player in history to fill the boots of Andrés Iniesta as the club icon departed for Japan. He has been unable to live up to the billing, falling out of favor with manager Ernesto Valverde while also being the subject of nearly-constant rumors of an impending departure.

The Mirror reports that Coutinho has been at the center of a rumored €300 million fire sale as Barcelona enter a transitional summer. While the player insists he is happy at the Nou Camp and shrugged off rumors of a potential return to the Premier League, it is undeniable that his tenure in Catalonia has not gone to plan.

"“My head is exclusively in Barcelona. Returning to England now does not fit into my plans,” Coutinho said. “This is my second season here. I have won titles but I am always an ambitious and demanding player. So, I want more and more. But I’m happy. I wanted to play in Spain and I’m at the best club in Spain.”"

While the Brazilian’s ambition is commendable, his struggle to adapt to life at Barcelona is a cause for concern. It is difficult to find Coutinho a place in the Blaugrana side because of the lack of a playmaking midfielder behind Suárez when Messi is played on the right flank. Therefore, Coutinho is often shifted wide to the left, where he struggles to make an impact, or drops into midfield, where he prefers to occupy the same spaces as Messi and doesn’t have the creative freedom he once enjoyed in other sides.

With the club looking to perhaps move in a different direction, it is up to Coutinho to prove his worth to the board and validate his club-record price tag. Fellow Brazilian superstar and former Barça icon Neymar has been consistently linked with a return to his former club while other potential Coutinho replacements in attack could also be in the works, such as Antoine Griezmann.

Coutinho’s fate could depend on Barcelona’s success in the Champions League, where he was unable to prevent the famous collapse in the quarterfinals against Roma a year ago due to cup-tie restrictions.

This time, however, Barcelona’s path to the final at the Estadio Wanda Metropolitano in Madrid runs through England, as the Catalan club will face Manchester United before a potential date with Coutinho’s former club Liverpool lies in wait in the semifinal.

If Barcelona are to deliver on their potential to lift the Champions League, it will take an inspired Coutinho in order to get them across the line. And if he fails on Europe’s biggest stage, it could be the end of a difficult tenure in Catalonia for one of the world’s most gifted footballers.