Barcelona vs Liverpool a special tie for Luis Suarez and Philippe Coutinho after ‘spectacular’ Anfield years

Then and now: Suarez and Coutinho at Anfield and Camp Nou
Liverpool FC via Getty Images
Ben Hayward30 April 2019

Ivan Rakitic hopes Luis Suarez and Philippe Coutinho can play a decisive role for Barcelona against Liverpool as the South American pair prepare for a 'special game' against their former club on Wednesday night.

Suarez and Coutinho have both swapped Anfield for Camp Nou in recent years, and will be important to their team’s hopes of success against the Reds in the Champions League semi-finals.

Asked in Tuesday’s pre-match press conference about how the pair would fare against their old team, Rakitic said: “Every player feels differently when they face their former club.

“I understand that Luis and Coutinho had spectacular years at Liverpool and that they are very grateful to the club. It will be a special game for them.

"They are two of the best players out there and let’s hope we can enjoy them. If they enjoy themselves, we will too.”

Those two are set to line up alongside Lionel Messi, and the Argentine attacker made his intentions clear in the Champions League earlier this season.

Messi told the Camp Nou crowd in August that he hoped to bring back the trophy, and led the Blaugrana to a 3-0 win over Manchester United with two goals in the sides' quarter-final second leg earlier this month before sealing LaLiga with the winner over Levante on Saturday.

“When our captain says something, whatever it is, we have to follow the path he sees for the team,” Rakitic said.

“Messi has won 10 league titles in 15 seasons and when you see him lift the trophy like he did, that hooks you. We have even more desire than before, if that’s possible.

AFP/Getty Images

“We are Barca, we want to go for everything and to follow the best player in history.”

Asked if Messi is at all anxious ahead of the semi-final tie, Rakitic said: “Messi has won four Champions Leagues. I don’t think he’s very nervous.

"You have to understand that Leo goes forward and and we follow him. He leads the way. We want to be in the big final in Madrid. If it’s not this year, perhaps it will be another.”

One of the intriguing sub-plots of the tie is how Barca's attack will fare against Liverpool’s Dutch defender Virgil van Dijk, who has just won the PFA Player of the Year award and has transformed the Reds’ back line this term.

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“We have a lot of respect for him,” Rakitic said. “And for the others. We know it will be really tough.

"It’s not just one player or another, their defence is very strong and well-worked. Let’s hope they have problems tomorrow.”

And asked about his own future as he is linked with a possible move in the summer, the Croat said: “Let’s hope I can continue at Barca.

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"It doesn’t depend only on me. You can ask the coach. The president has also said that to me.

“I feel the warmth of the fans. I have three more years on my contract. There is no better place than Barcelona.”

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