"I have never been unprofessional" - Coutinho hits back at reports that claimed he refused to come on for Barcelona

Barcelona midfielder Philippe Coutinho has denied claims that he behaved unprofessionally during the Catalan club's 3-3 La Liga draw with Celta Vigo.

Coutinho was slated to come on before half-time for Ansu Fati. But interim Barcelona coach Sergi Barjuan sent on Alejandro Balde instead, with some reports claiming Coutinho refused to come on.

Some rumors even claimed that Barjuan was left unimpressed by Coutinho's attitude when the Brazilian was asked to warm up ahead of the substitution, which made him drop the idea. But the former Liverpool star has denied all such reports.

“I was very surprised when I saw the news because in all my career I have never been unprofessional, they can look wherever I went, I always respected everyone. Journalists always believe a lot of things,” Coutinho said while on international duty with Brazil (via Barca Balugranes).

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I was able to talk to him [Xavi] once: Barcelona midfielder Philippe Coutinho

Coutinho also opened up on the impending arrival of Barcelona legend Xavi as the club's new manager. The Catalan giants made the appointment official on November 6 and Xavi will take the manager's place in the dugout after the international break.

“Xavi was a great player, a great football idol. And now he is back home in Barcelona. I hope he can be very successful with the group we have. I was able to talk to him once when I visited some doctors in Qatar, I know he is a great man,” Coutinho said.

The 29-year-old returned to first-team action following a knee surgery, due to which he missed the first couple of matches of the season. He hasn't been able to find form yet, having scored just one goal from 11 appearances for Barcelona across competitions.

“It was not easy to be out for so long but I feel very good. Physically I’m well and I have no pain or problems, now what I need is time to find my best level. Since I returned, I did not have a sequence of 4 or 5 games from the beginning to be able to reach my best level, get match fit,” he said.