PHILIPPE COUTINHO gained nine pounds of muscle during his loan spell at Bayern Munich, becoming the latest star to bulk up in Bavaria.
The Barcelona star, 28, returned to the Nou Camp ahead of this season and appeared to be sporting a stronger build.
Philippe Coutinho is looking bigger in a Barcelona shirtCredit: Reuters
Coutinho piled on the muscle during his Bayern Munich loan spellCredit: Getty Images – Getty
Coutinho won the Champions League with Bayern at the end of his loan spell and is noticeably bigger now he’s back in LaLiga.
The former Livepool playmaker’s national coach with Brazil, Tite, recognised how the ace has put in the hard yards in the gym.
Via Marca, he said: “There’s a factor you have to bear in mind; Coutinho is a player who is very dedicated to the physical aspect.
“This is even more so after his spell at Bayern Munich, where he gained five kilograms in body weight, four kilos (9lbs) of which were muscle mass.
“He’s improved a lot physically.”
Coutinho featured for Brazil against Bolivia and Peru in their World Cup qualifiers during the international break.
And Tite has named him in his squad for the November fixtures against Venezuela and Uruguay.
Coutinho is the latest footballer to beef up at Bayern after Leon Goretzka’s incredible body transformation.
Leon Goretzka also underwent an incredible body transformation at Bayern Munich
Goretzka used his time-off in lockdown to smash the weights and get hench – almost looking unrecognisably large on his return.
Polish goal machine Robert Lewandowski also built a chiselled physique at the club, earning himself the nickname ‘The Body’.
In 2006, Lewandowski was released by Legia Warsaw for being too weak with old coach Krzysztov Sikorski recallling ‘his legs were like sticks’.
But Lewandowski transformed his appearance after marrying wife Anna Stachurska – a karate World Cup bronze medallist and sports nutritionist – in 2013.
Now Lewandowski lives by a clean diet and enjoys kickboxing and lifting weights in the gym both at home and at Bayern.
Lionel Messi and Barcelona look on in terror as Coutinho scores Bayern Munich’s 8th goal
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
