Javier Mascherano enjoyed some beautiful years at the Camp Nou. He played 8 years for Barcelona winning numerous trophies. He has played in one of the best Barcelona squads under Pep Guardiola and Luis Enrique.
Since then Barcelona have lost their identity and their style of play. It hurts Mascherano seeing Barcelona in this current situation.
According to a report by Sport, the former Barcelona player said in an interview to ‘The Tactical Room’: “It hurts me that Barcelona has moved away from the model that made it great. That it has prioritized other things and has not maintained what had made the club so great and above all so different. If there was something that Barcelona had done differently, it was the model and has moved away from that model for a long time.”
Mascherano praised his compatriot, Lionel Messi, with whom he has numerous unforgettable moments both at Barcelona and the Argentina national team. He said: “When he catches the ball there is always a feeling that something is going to happen. Generating that around the world must be something unmatched. And he has generated it every three days for 15 years. we are talking about someone different “.
“He is a very special person. But not because of what he is as a player but because of how earthly he is being what he is. I have not met anyone who is so important in what he does in the history of the sport and who has that capacity to come to talk to you, ask you or ask for an opinion. Usually older people like him don’t, “he added.
Mascherano further complimented Pep Guardiola under whom he was converted to a centre-back from a midfielder. He said: “I did not have the profile of a midfielder for that team. Pep knew it. But that is the greatest trophy of my career. Having been able to change the way of thinking about it to me a coach like Guardiola, possibly the best coach in the last 30 years. Through work, sacrifice and understanding what my role was, I was able to find my place there.”