Part 3: Is Javier Mascherano more important than Zlatan Ibrahimovic?
The team even left the field with the lead but it was Sevilla who came back in the second half and were able to score 3 goals in the forty five minutes that they had.
Kanoute and Luis Fabiano, both, scored vital goals for the club and helped them take a 2 goal advantage at home. Even though it was Sevilla who won the first leg at home, they were forgetting the fact that they had to travel to the Nou Camp; home of Barcelona, where they didn’t suffer a single defeat last season.
Barcelona had to win the match 2-0, and they won it with a double lead. Another fabulous performance by Lionel Messi earned Barcelona the first trophy of the season as they defeated Sevilla 4-0 at the Nou Camp. Lionel Messi was able to score a hat trick while Pedro was the one who found Konko’s feet while attacking, and the Sevillian defender planted it into his own net scoring an own goal. Barcelona learned a good lesson with all this.
They learnt that just like Real Madrid’s pair Zidane and Pavon, Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Pedro cannot be the two players the team can relies on. These two did not work single handedly to help the team win, in fact it was the whole team’s effort that earned Barcelona a win in the Nou Camp and a Supercopa trophy, right before the start of the Spanish La Liga. Barcelona hoped that these two would work the way Xavi and Messi work, but they did not really meet those expectations.
Mascherano is definitely going to be a fabulous addition to the Barcelona squad. It is true that Busquets can get the job done as well, and he needs to play in the first team to develop himself. But the fact that the Argentine captain, Javier Mascherano is one of the best holding midfielders in the world and can easily adapt to the Catalan Giants’ style of play cannot be neglected.
However, no one is sure as to whether he is going to be a part of the first team or not. Mascherano was the captain of the Argentinean team which he faced a humiliating defeat against Germany in the quarter finals of the FIFA World Cup 2010. He barely got the ball on the field and was pretty much a flop throughout the World Cup.
On the other hand, Busquets featured as a regular first team player in the Spanish team and he out-did himself in the tournament. Even though all these factors go in favour of Sergio Busquets, no one can deny the fact that Mascherano is definitely the best man for the position. It doesn’t matter whether Pep Guardiola is going to use him as a reserve or utilize him as a first team player, he is definitely going to provide extra protection to Barcelona’s side.
He is going to be another soldier in the Blaugrana army and he is going to prevent all the holes that are created in the defensive walls of the Catalan giants. With Mascherano playing as a holding midfielder and with two amazing center backs, it is going to be hard for any team to cross them towards Victor Valdes; who is also an outstanding goalkeeper and a wall on his own.
For obvious reasons, topics about his performance are going to be raised when Mascherano is going to pass a season in Barcelona. However, the player’s impact is going to be clear by next week when he is finally going to take his position on the field for his new club while wearing the Blaugrana number 14 jersey; the number that was recently vacated by the former Arsenal player and the current New York Red Bulls sensation, Thierry Henry. Can Mascherano live up to his expectations? We can only wait for the next week when he is finally going to feature for his new club.
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