What is going on with Philippe Coutinho? The Barcelona midfielder is getting jeered

Philippe Coutinho (left) comes off after 80 minutes

Barcelona midfielder Philippe Coutinho has been backed by team-mate Gerard Pique after the former Liverpool player was jeered by home fans on Saturday.

Coutinho started the 3-1 La Liga win over Rayo Vallecano but was whistled at by supporters at the Nou Camp and substituted with 10 minutes left.

The 26-year-old Brazilian has only scored three times since October.

"We have to accept the reaction of the fans - but from the inside we have to give him our support," said Pique.

Coutinho joined the Spanish champions from Liverpool in January 2018 for £142m but has been linked with a move back to the Premier League.

"Philippe is having a good season," Pique told Marca. "Obviously his cost was very high so that means there are more expectations of his performance level. It is what it is.

"We need him at his best for the end of the season and I'm sure he will be."

• What has gone wrong for Coutinho in Spain?

Lionel Messi has now scored 69 penalties for Barcelona

On Saturday, Lionel Messi scored a penalty as Barca came from behind to beat Rayo Vallecano and retain their seven-point lead at the top of the Spanish top flight.

Raul de Tomas, on loan from Real Madrid, had given Rayo a surprise lead with an excellent 20-yard strike.

Centre-back Pique headed an equaliser from Messi's free-kick and the Barcelona captain nonchalantly put the treble-chasing champions ahead from the spot.

Luis Suarez tapped home a late third after a one-two with Ivan Rakitic.

Messi is La Liga's top scorer with 26 goals in 25 games, with Suarez second on 17.

Second-placed Atletico Madrid had briefly narrowed the gap on Barca with a 1-0 win over Leganes earlier on Saturday, Saul scoring the only goal.

Barcelona were made to work hard by Rayo Vallecano, who are in the relegation zone after six consecutive defeats, but Ernesto Valverde's side are now unbeaten in 14 league games, a run going back to November. They have won 13 consecutive league games against Rayo since 2002.

Next up for the Catalan side is a home game against Lyon in the Champions League last 16 on Wednesday, having drawn the first leg 0-0 in France.

Winger Ousmane Dembele picked up a slight hamstring strain against Vallecano and could be a doubt for that match.