No, Javier Mascherano won’t be playing for Barcelona again

Martin Macdonald

• Updated: 17 May 2021 22:02 BST
• 4 min read

Javier Mascherano has provided a light-hearted yet emphatic response to suggestions he could return to play for Barcelona.

This month, the Argentine announced his retirement from the sport, as reported by FootballCritic.

He has hung up his boots after a successful career which spanned 17 years.

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The most successful period Mascherano’s his career came at Barcelona as he won five La Liga titles, two Champions League titles, and five Spanish Cups in his time in the Camp Nou before moving to China.

Barca, at the moment, are in crisis. Not only are they a huge 12 points off the pace in La Liga, but have a ravaged defensive line, with Gerard Pique now out for the season.

Samuel Umtiti and Ronald Araujo are also out inured, while Barca’s pursuit Eric Garcia from Man City didn’t materialise.

Spanish radio personality Eduardo Inda subsequently reported that Barcelona were set to ask Mascherano to return on an emergency basis.

However, responding to a Tweet about the story, Mascherano wrote: “Pleassssseeeeee. There’s no need.”

Looks like the Argentine won’t be returning to La Liga anytime soon.

Barcelona in crisis

Ever since Barcelona lost 8-2 in the Champions League in the summer, things have went downhill for the Blaugrana.

Shortly after that result, Quique Setien was sacked, while Lionel Messi requested to leave the club for the first time since arriving as a 13-year-old.

The Argentine has become disillusioned with life at the Camp Nou due to the underperformance on the pitch and how the club was being run off it.

He eventually agreed to stay for one more season.

But, under the tenure of new coach Ronald Koeman Barca have struggled.

They have won just three of their opening eight matches in La Liga in 2020/21 and are down in 13th.

At boardroom level, president Josep Maria Bartomeu has been exiled, with a new president to be voted in soon.