Philippe Coutinho says a Barcelona versus Liverpool Champions League final would have been the perfect outcome for him had the draw panned out differently.
The Brazilian will return to England to take on Manchester United in the first leg of Barca's quarter-final tie on Wednesday, a day after his former side have hosted Porto in their last eight clash.
The winners of both ties will then take on each other in the last four, eliminating the prospect of Coutinho lining up against his former employers in the Madrid final on June 1.
That would, however, see Coutinho and his Barca teammate Luis Suarez make returns to Anfield to face their former side, but the £142million signing insists he'd rather have taken on his old teammates in the final.
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“Let’s see, I hope it happens, but we have a big game first at Old Trafford,” said Coutinho.
“What I can say is that I’m glad that Liverpool are doing well this year and, if the draw had been different, I would have liked to play the Champions League Final against them.
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“Klopp is a great coach and it was only a matter of time before he got the team performing the way they are.
“They are having an incredible season. But so are we – and I am focused first on Barcelona .”
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