—>
Javier Mascherano como entrenador de la selección Sub 20 de Argentina en el duelo ante Perú en el Preolímpico

THE 'BOSS' ALSO SPOKE ABOUT PEP GUARDIOLA

Mascherano 'surrenders' to Xavi, Busquets and Iniesta: "That midfield was unbearable"

Published:12/03/2024 - 15:55h

Updated:12/03/2024 - 15:56h

Javier Mascherano, former Barça player, gave an interview in which, among many things, he allowed himself to talk about his time as a culé, remembering the importance of the midfield formed by Xavi, Busquets and Iniesta. In addition, he talked about Pep Guardiola's role in the history of football

Calendar of FC Barcelona

The fans of the FC Barcelona, beyond all doubt, will remember with affection the name of Javier Mascherano. The 'Jefecito' arrived to the City Condal in the season 2010-11, after showing a big level of game in the Liverpool. After six campaigns and average with the elastic Barcelona, positioned in the 'top 30' of players with more parties contested in the Catalan cast, adding a total of 334 commitments where saw minutes of action.

The native of Saint Lorenzo (Argentina) arrived being one of the mediocentros more contributed in the market. However, in the Barcelonan picture, experienced a change of position when happening to be midfield player to turn into a defender to complete time. The reason? Simple. In that then, the group culé had one of the best, if no the best, medullary zone of the world, conformed by Sergio Busquets like pivote and Xavi Hernández and Andrés Iniesta like interiors. From this and considering that the Argentinian showed to have the conditions and the necessary character to be 'escudero', finished playing in this square of usual form.

Mascherano 'Surrendered' in front of the mythical trident Xavi-Busquets-Iniesta

Now, withdrawn like footballer, but still activate in the professional football like trainer of the selection Sub-20 of Argentina, that recently attained his classification to the Olympic games, the exjugador of River Plate conceded an interview to 'Olé', in which it reviewed what meant for him adapt to the dynamics of the combined blaugrana, with all the names talentosos that formed part of the centre of the field of the FC Barcelona.

"That half of the field was insoportable... But it is that in addition to 'Busi', Xavi and Iniesta had to players so good like Rakitić, Cesc or the own Thiago. By not speaking of the forwards", commented Mascherano, the one who, because of the excess of talent in the centre of the field of the combined Barcelonan, had to assume a new role like defender, contesting 263 of the 344 commitments that played like culé in the defensive line, forming mainly couple with Gerard Hammered and contributing the character and the harp that in his moment offered Carles Puyol.

The role of Pep Guardiola in the history of the football

To close, Mascherano also stood out the paper of Pep Guardiola, with the one who coincided during his stage like trainer in the FC Barcelona (97 meetings), in the history of the football. "The big bequeathed of Pep are not the titles. His legacy is what contributed to this sport. There is a football before Pep and another after Guardiola, when I arrived to Europe in the 2006 was very different to as now we look the football after the Barça of Guardiola. Now all the world works like going out and the pressure and before Guardiola all was more natural and less worked", sentenced.