Coutinho left out of Liverpool team ahead of Besiktas game

Atatürk Olimpiyat stadium
Atatürk Olimpiyat stadium

Coutinho left out of Liverpool team ahead of Besiktas game [divider]

Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers has decided to leave Philip Coutinho in England ahead of the Europa League Round of 32 second-leg clash against Beşiktaş.

Coutinho has played 19 games straight for the Reds and is not suffering from injury.

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Rodgers is reported to have left Coutinho out of the squad so that the Brazilian midfielder can have a rest.

The Brazilian attacking midfielder has four goals and five assists in all competitions for Liverpool this season.

Liverpool won the first at Anfield 1-0 but could find the return leg more tricky considering Beşikstaş have yet to lose on home soil against English opposition in European competition this season.

The Reds will also be without captain Steven Gerarrd and Lucas Leiva who has failed to recover from injury.

Lazar Markovic is also suspended for the game leaving Rodgers with a shortage of midfielders going into the second-leg.

Beşiktaş also beat the Reds 2-1 the last time the two sides met in European competition back in the 2007-08 Champions League group stages.