koclokindoblog, 1 april 2012,
Barcelona coach Pep Guardiola praised Javier Mascherano after Saturday's 2-0 La Liga win over Athletic Bilbao.
Guardiola claimed the versatile Argentine has been a good signing for the club and is effectively unsellable.
Mascherano arrived at Camp Nou in 2010 from Liverpool as one of the best defensive midfielders in Europe, but he has been transformed into a top class centre-half under Guardiola.
The former West Ham United man had another excellent game against Athletic with Guardiola now considering the 27-year-old one of the most valuable members of his star-studded squad.
"Javier is an almost unimaginable signing," Guardiola told the Barca website.
"He's the type of player that a manager wouldn't trade for anything, and would never sell. He's a unique signing, we're very pleased to have him."
However, Guardiola said Mascherano was not the only impressive performer against Bilbao.
"We've missed Gerard for the best part of the year but now he's back to his required playing level," Guardiola said.
"He and Mascherano played a great game. And I also want to highlight Adriano's effort."
The win over Athletic sets Barca up nicely for the second leg of their Champions League quarter-final tie with AC Milan on Tuesday but Guardiola is warning fans not to expect a similarly open game against the Italians, with the two sides having drawn 0-0 at San Siro on Wednesday.
"Athletic Bilbao don't defend - they come for you," he said.
"It's completely different from Milan; it's like night and day.
"However, while it will be the most important match of the year, it could also be the most beautiful one."
soccerway.com
0 Comments
