Philippe Coutinho 'to refuse to play in Champions League'

Philippe Coutinho will reportedly refuse to represent Liverpool in the Champions League this season.

It is understood that Barcelona were prepared to pay in excess of £100m for Coutinho in the summer transfer window, but Liverpool rebuffed the interest in order to keep hold of the playmaker.

The 25-year-old is believed to have handed in a transfer request in order to force a move to Camp Nou, although the Reds held firm, which proved an unpopular decision with the player.

Coutinho is due to return to Liverpool after representing Brazil in their 2018 World Cup qualifier against Colombia on Tuesday night, but according to Sport, the attacker will inform his English club that he will not play in the Champions League this term.

Coutinho has not yet represented Liverpool this season due to an apparent back problem in the early weeks of the campaign.