Coutinho: Inter and Liverpool ‘more similar than one might think’

Coutinho, a former Inter and Liverpool player, previews tonight’s Champions League clash between the Nerazzurri and the Reds: ‘They are more similar than one might think…’

Inter and Liverpool meet at the Stadio Meazza this evening in the Champions League Round 6.

The Nerazzurri have earned four wins from the opening five games in the competition (one loss) and aim to beat the troubled Premier League giants to cement their place in the top eight.

“Both clubs have a winning mentality; owners, players and coaches may change, but the DNA remains the same,” Coutinho told Gazzetta (via L’Interista).

“When I arrived at Inter, the team had just won everything, and I had the chance to win the Club World Cup. Now, despite the ownership changes, the club has regained its strength for a long time. The two Champions League Finals are no coincidence; they have an extremely strong core of players. Liverpool, on the other hand, are coming off an extraordinary season, but in the Premier League, nothing can be taken for granted.”

Coutinho, now at Vasco da Gama, joined Inter in the summer of 2010, right after the Nerazzurri had won the treble under Mourinho and with Cristian Chivu as a pivotal member of that team.

Coutinho went on to score five goals in 47 appearances across all competitions before joining Liverpool in January 2013, where he’d spent six years, scoring 54 goals in 201 games and playing, perhaps, the best football of his career.

“Only the 90 minutes will matter, not how the teams got there,” the 33-year-old said about the imminent meeting between his former clubs.

“They have different characteristics, but they are more similar than one might think. They both attack space very well and take advantage of opponents’ mistakes. One lapse in concentration can be fatal; whoever makes fewer errors will win.

“Chivu and I were teammates; there was mutual respect and a great relationship,” concluded Coutinho.

“I’m rooting for him. People often say a player is a leader, and Cristian really was. His presence in the dressing room was extremely important. He prepared himself to take charge of the club, starting from the youth sector. That’s why nobody should be surprised. He’s more than ready and he’s doing a fantastic job.”