Ghanaian international Emmanuel Boateng has revealed a conversation with Brazil ace Philippe Coutinho after scoring a hat-trick to help Levante to a shock 5-4 win over Barcelona on Sunday.

The 21 year old forward becomes the first player in 13 years to score three goals in a La Liga match against FC Barcelona, since Diego Forlan for Villarreal on 22 May, 2005.

It was the first defeat in LaLiga for Barcelona since they lost to Malaga in the 31st round of last season.

Boateng’s amazing display on the day earned him praise even from Barcelona’s Philippe Coutinho.

“Coutinho told me in Portuguese to continue with what am doing and that it will take me places. He asked me to believe in myself.”

“As a striker, you are only judged by the goals you score, so i was praying to score but I never thought of scoring 3 so all the glory to God.

“I didn’t know what to do after realizing I had scored 3 against Barcelona. I was ecstatic and so happy ,as this is my first hat trick in professional football,” he told Kumasi based Oyerepa FM.

Boateng has been handed his maiden call-up to the Black Stars for the upcoming friendlies against Iceland and Japan.

By Daraja Mutari/Ghanaguardian.com