Bundesliga
Coutinho: "Lucio convinced me to join Bayern"
Philippe Coutinho says former Bayern Munich defender Lucio played a decisive role in his transfer from Barcelona to the record champions in the summer.
Coutinho moved to Munich on an initial season-long loan deal in August, and he now says he is delighted to have made the move to Bavaria, on Lucio's advice.
"He always told me how great it was in Munich and playing for Bayern," Coutinho said while visiting one of Bayern's fan clubs in Kösching. "Given all of the positive impressions he gave me, I had no doubts about wanting to come here.
"I've been made to feel happy here from day one, and I'm 100 per cent certain I made the right choice."
Watch: Bayern stars visit fan clubs for advent
Lucio, 41, wore a Bayern shirt between 2004 and 2009, winning three Bundesliga titles and as many DFB Cups.
Prior to joining Bayern, he earned his Bundesliga stripes in four impressive seasons with Bayer Leverkusen, while he moved to Inter Milan in 2009 and won the UEFA Champions League at the end of his first season in Italy.
That is where he met his Brazilian compatriot Coutinho, a teenager at the time, and the pair forged a strong relationship both on and off the field during their time together with the Nerazzurri.
"He was always like a father to me," Coutinho said, explaining why he trusted Lucio blind when he gave him a call over the summer to seek advice about joining Bayern. "He looked after me as if I were his own child."
The 27-year-old has played 18 games for Bayern so far this season, scoring three goals and setting up a further five. The former Liverpool man is due to return to Spain at the end of the season, although Germany's record champions have an option to make the move permanent.