JOSEP LAGO/AFP
Gelandang baru FC Barcelona, Philippe Coutinho, tersenyum pada acara presentasi kepada pers di Barcelona, Spanyol, seusai menuntaskan transfer dari Liverpool pada Minggu (7/1/2018).
Philippe Coutinho meninggalkan Liverpool dan resmi bergabung dengan Barcelona dengan tebusan senilai 160 juta euro.
Bergabungnya Coutinho ke Liverpool tentu meninggalkan lubang besar bagi Liverpool , mengingat sang pemain adalah kreator permainan The Reds dalam lima tahun terakhir.
Untuk mengurangi rasa kehilangan, Coutinho menyampaikan pesan perpisahannya pada Liverpool melalui Instagram.
Dilansir BolaSport.com dari Instagram, eks pemain Inter Milan itu mengunggah fotonya saat masih berseragam Liverpool .
(Baca juga: Kelebihan Pemain, Barcelona Minta Beknya Cari Klub Baru )
Dalam caption -nya, Coutinho mengucapkan terima kasih pada pihak yang terkait dengan Liverpool .
Dari ucapan tersebut, ternyata para suporter merupakan pihak yang paling penting dari Liverpool bagi Coutinho.
Since the moment I arrived in Liverpool , me and my family have been made to feel so welcome and have made so many friends. On the pitch and off the pitch, we have experienced the beauty of this club and its fans. In turn, I hope I have delivered memories and moments that have brought happiness to the Liverpool supporters. Moving to Liverpool, I knew the club’s greatness and history but what I did learn during my time was the unique heart and soul of the place. It has its own personality and character. I leave Liverpool because Barcelona is a dream for me. Liverpool was a dream that I was fortunate enough to realise and I have given five years of my life to it. A career on the pitch only lasts for so long and to play for Barcelona as well as Liverpool is something I want to experience and enjoy while I am blessed enough to be able to do so. I hope the supporters understand that choosing to experience something new is not about diminishing their importance to me or the club’s importance. Nothing will ever diminish that in my heart. I wish Jürgen and the team nothing but joy and success for the rest of this season and beyond. This is an amazing team and they are getting better and better all the time. There are too many people I want to thank, but I cannot name everyone individually. To all the amazing club staff who have been part of my life in Liverpool - I will miss you. To the owners, whom have tried so hard to bring success, and to the football recruitment staff for showing faith in me to bring me here and rewarding me during that journey, and to my incredible teammates, past and present, who have helped me grow and improve as a player and a person, I would like to say thank you to you all. Anything I have achieved here would not have been possible without you. And finally, to the most important people of Liverpool - the Liverpool supporters. I can never thank you enough for what you have given me during this time and no matter where I go in the world, for the rest of my life, I will always cherish Liverpool in my heart. You, the club and the city will always be a part of me. You’ll Never Walk Alone. Philippe.
A post shared by Philippe Coutinho (@phil.coutinho) on Jan 8, 2018 at 2:25pm PST
Coutinho pun mengucapkan terima kasih sebesar-besarnya pada mereka.
"Rasa terima kasih saya tidak akan pernah cukup atas yang telah kalian berikan selama ini," tulis Coutinho.
"Selama sisa hidup, saya akan mengingat Liverpool . Kalian, klub, dan kota itu akan selalu jadi bagian dari saya," tulis Coutinho melanjutkan.
Sang pemain Brasil pun meminta pengertian dari para suporter, bahwa dirinya ingin mencari pengalaman baru dalam sepak bola.
(Baca juga: Jadi Korban Serangan Rasialis Lagi, Blaise Matuidi Dihibur Mario Balotelli )
"Saya harap para suporter mengerti bahwa memilih pengalaman baru bukan berarti melupakan arti pentingnya para fan dan Liverpool ," tulis Coutinho.
Sebelumnya Philippe Coutinho menjelaskan bahwa Barcelona adalah impiannya.
Di bagian akhir ucapan perpisahannya, Coutinho menuliskan slogan khas Liverpool .
"You'll never walk alone ," tulis Coutinho menyebut slogan Liverpool sebagai penutup.
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