Part 1: Javier Mascherano speaks to the press
The newly signed Barcelona player, Javier Mascherano gave an interview to Barca TV while Barcelona’s official website took note of what he spoke to them. The former Liverpool player made it clear that all the players in the Spanish
team “love” him here and he has no problems adjusting with them. After beating Panathinaikos, Mascherano was ready to speak out on screen about what he thought of the match. He said that he was happy after the Champions League and told the press that he knew
about the fact that the fixture between Barcelona and Atletico Madrid is going to be crucial and it means a lot for his new club.
His first question was about how he felt being at the club as he just got transferred to the Spanish team. In reply he said that he was fine and he was pleased that they were all treating him like a family. He also added that his
family was treated wonderfully in the new city and said that the club and even in the streets they were all respected. He further added that he was looking forward to enjoy his time in the new club as it was already feeling too great.
He was then asked about his adaptation with the new team mates and the new style of play. He started the answer by thanking them. He said that they were all treating him extremely well and he said that even though the style of
play was very different from his former club, he is still finding it very easy as there are many amazing players around him. He then said that he was settling in nicely and it was simple for him during the training sessions because he had amazing footballers
around him all the time, in Barca.
His third question was about the “disappointing” home game against Hercules. Barcelona lost the match 0-2 and they were totally shocked by the newly promoted team. It was Mascherano’s first game for Barcelona and they suffered from a bad loss. However, the
coach Josep Pep Guardiola spoke highly of the Argentinean player and said that he performed really well. He was asked whether he felt the same way and in reply he said that he was more concentrated about “team” performance. He said that he never thought about
himself and was just trying to stay calm even though the opponents scored an early goal against them in the first half. He added on by telling the press that he is trying to learn everyday because of the fact that football was felt and played differently in
Spain. He said that after the match he realized that everyone in the team wants to lay a hand and he wanted to contribute as well.
He was then asked about his stance in the defensive midfield and how Pep Guardiola was helping him out with the position. Guardiola was a legendary defensive midfielder himself and Mascherano was asked whether the current Barcelona
coach wanted him to do something specific. He told the press that Guardiola was helping him out a lot. He said that in the English league, the holding midfielder’s job was to mostly defend the attacks while in the Spanish League his job was also to take the
ball forward as he was more of a “D to D” player. Mascherano further added to all this by saying that Guardiola was helping him out with his positioning and ball control and wanted him to play the ball more as that is important in Barcelona. With their “tiki
taka” style of play, Mascherano has to move the ball around so that the flow in the game is not stopped.
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