Philippe Coutinho Says He 'Needed a Game Like This' After Sevilla Double

Philippe Coutinho said he "needed a game like this" after he netted twice in Barcelona's 6-1 Copa del Rey win over Sevilla on Wednesday.

The Brazilian, who cost the Blaugrana £142 million in January 2018, has struggled for form in 2018-19 and has been on the fringes of the first team, starting just 12 of Barca's 21 La Liga games this term:

He was included alongside Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez in Barcelona's attack for their crucial Copa clash at the Camp Nou against Sevilla and played a key role as they comprehensively overturned a 2-0 first-leg deficit to advance to the semi-finals.

Coutinho, 26, netted the opener from the penalty spot and made it 3-0 with a clinical second-half header. He said after the game it was a crucial performance for him, and he thanked Messi for allowing him to take the penalty, per Sport:

"It was a special, unforgettable night. The truth is I needed a game like this, I'm really happy [with my performance]. I've been trying everything in every game. Things have not been coming off but I have never stopped working hard and thanks to God things went for me tonight.

"The gesture from Messi shows how great he is. It was all really natural, nothing special had been prepared before the game. I'm grateful to him for letting me take the penalty."

Barca's victory means they are still on track to win three trophies this season. They are five points clear at the top of La Liga and in the last 16 of the UEFA Champions League.

The Catalan giants' recent form in Europe's elite club competition has been relatively poor.

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Since they last won the famous trophy in 2014-15, they have been knocked out three times in a row at the quarter-final stage.

Messi pledged at the beginning of 2018-19 that Barca would "do all we can to bring that beautiful trophy back to the Camp Nou." Barca's last-16 tie against Lyon begins on February 19 with the first leg.

A return to form for Coutinho would be a huge boon for Barcelona as manager Ernesto Valverde will need his whole squad at their best in the second half of the season if they are to win a treble.

The former Liverpool star showed on Wednesday he still has the talent to make a big impact in key matches.