PHILIPPE COUTINHO has been ruled out until after the World Cup, Aston Villa boss Unai Emery has confirmed.
The 30-year-old playmaker was not in the matchday squad for today’s 3-1 win over Manchester United.
Coutinho picked up a quad injury in training.
A dire start to the season meant Coutinho was already an outsider to be on Brazil’s plane to Qatar.
He was left out of Brazil boss Tite̢۪s most recent international squad, and last played for his country in June.
Now slim chances of going to the World Cup have now been wiped out altogether.
New Villa boss Emery revealed after the game that Coutinho will not play again until after the tournament.
He said: “Coutinho is injured.
“I don’t know how long it will be but, today, he couldn’t play and he’s not going to play until after the break. It’s a muscular injury.”;
The Brazilian joins a growing list of stars who are crocked for Qatar.
International team-mate Arthur Melo is out of the tournament after picking up a long-term muscular injury.
Elsewhere an ankle injury means Timo Werner will not be able to represent Germany in Qatar.
Chelsea left-back Ben Chilwell has confirmed he will miss the World Cup too after injuring his hamstring in midweek against Dinamo Zagreb.
But, in good news for England, Reece James is ahead of schedule in his recovery from knee ligament damage.
The Blues defender is hopeful of representing the Three Lions in Qatar.
