Philippe Coutinho’s back injury is due to stress reveals Brazil team doctor as he trains with international team-mates
BRAZIL doctor and long-term friend of Philippe Coutinho, Michael Simoni, confirmed the Liverpool star's back problem is due to stress.
The national team's medical staff have declared the midfielder fit to play and have given him the green light to play after a back injury has kept him out of action.
The 25-year-old trained with his international team-mates and is set to feature for Brazil in their World Cup qualifier against Ecuador.
Coutinho complained of back pain during the Audi Cup on August 1st, after the Reds' clash against Bayern Munich and hasn't trained with the club since.
He also suffered a virus but he has managed to shake that off in time to represent his country.
The Reds ace has been heavily linked with a move to Barcelona and Simoni says all the midfielder needed was a "pep talk".
Simoni said: "Coutinho back problem? He is okay now. The back problem was a matter of stress, it was something emotional.
"The uncertainty about his future led him to feeling stressed. Everything is solved now.
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"Coutinho and I are friends since years, I always treat his medical cases. All he needed was someone to give him a pep talk."
And fellow Brazil medic Rodrigo Lasmar said: "From a medical point of view, Philippe is in the perfect condition to play.”
Reds boss Jurgen Klopp reiterated the club's stance on Coutinho, insisting they will not sell their talisman.
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Speaking after the Reds' 4-0 drubbing over Arsenal, he told Sky Sports: “It is not about confidence in this situation, it is about what the owners have said. That is the situation.
"There is no problem like this. You can imagine, if he had been a part of this game it probably would not have been worse huh?
“Today we had 11 outstanding individual performances.”
Coutinho has already handed in a transfer request in a bid to force through a move to the Nou Camp.
Barca have recently brought in Dortmund winger Ousmane Dembele in for a whopping £138million as they continue to replace Neymar.
