Mascherano opens up on ‘toxic’ nature of Liverpool exit

Matt Stead

Javier Mascherano has discussed his imminent departure from Barcelona, saying he does not wish to repeat mistakes made at Liverpool.

Mascherano believes he is coming towards the end of his time at Barcelona, having joined from Liverpool in 2010. We want him back.

The midfielder enjoyed a successful spell at Anfield, but left Merseyside after his relationship with new manager Roy Hodgson deteriorated.

“I think that my stage here is ending,” he told ESPN. “It makes sense that after such a long time there’s not much more I can do in this club. I’m not saying it with a heavy heart. I’ve had the best years of my career in this club. I’ll never forget it.

“I’m one of those people who thinks that you have to know when is the right time to end a stage. I would like to end mine at the right time, but it doesn’t really depend on me.

“I am predisposed to end it on time because when I left Liverpool it wasn’t good for me, and I didn’t like it. I didn’t like having the feeling that I couldn’t go back to Liverpool and there was still something toxic there. And I don’t want the same thing to happen to me at Barcelona.”

On his Liverpool exit seven years ago, he added: “It was a stormy summer for me. Rafa Benitez had left Liverpool and there was the possibility of going to Inter with him. We were negotiating but things did not go the way we wanted. I already had the idea of leaving Liverpool.

“He was the manager who had bet on me when I did not know what to do at West Ham. When he left, I believed that it would not be the same and I needed to take a step forward.

“Negotiations with Inter did not progress and 15 days before the end of the transfer window Barcelona contacted me. I fought for that. It was not the best way to leave.

“I did not like it but it was my chance. A club like this is not going to come looking for you two years in a row. If you say no, they look for someone else. That’s the reality. I fought for that and here I am.”