Liverpool rebel Philippe Coutinho is living with ‘a very great sadness’ over his failing Barcelona move, according to Neymar

PHILIPPE COUTINHO is living with “a very great sadness” over his agonising Liverpool to Barcelona transfer saga, according to Brazil team-mate Neymar.

PSG’s £196million man – coining in £520,000-a-week – says the Kop hero is heartbroken over his protracted £138m move to the Nou Camp.

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Coutinho was forced to miss Liverpool’s first three Premier League games of the season with a back injury caused by stress.

But he leapt off the bench on Thursday night to score in Brazil’s 2-0 win over Ecuador and celebrate like a man in the prime of his life.

And after the World Cup qualifier win, Neymar revealed his team-mate’s cameo performance was even more impressive, considering the anguish he is enduring.

Neymar said: "Coutinho is a great player, a star, and entered the match very well."

"I'm very happy because he has scored a goal, at this moment that he lives, a very great sadness.

“But he helped us in the victory.”

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Neymar suddenly seems keen to help the Liverpool star force through his move to Catalonia despite his scathing comments about his former club.

The world’s most expensive player was accused of warning his compatriot off the La Liga side with a lengthy dig at how the club is currently run.

Neymar said: "When I arrived, everything started well but, at Barcelona, there are directors that shouldn't be there.

“I'm very sad with them.

"I had four very happy years there but Barca deserve much better. I have a lot of friends there.

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"I hope things get better for Barca and that they go back to being a team that can compete.

"I don't know what's going on there. To see my former team-mates sad, I feel sad too.

"I left there a lot of friends, I hope things get better in Barcelona. I hope Barcelona becomes again a team that can compete with any other team."