Mascherano enjoying central role

Posted Monday, March 26, 2012 by ESPN

Barcelona coach Pep Guardiola has employed Javier Mascherano mainly as a centre-back this season but the Argentinean has no qualms about the new role.

The former Liverpool defensive midfielder has played well for Barcelona with his positional awareness and strong tackles helping shackle many strikers in La Liga this term.

Nevertheless, it is not his favourite position as back at Merseyside and at Corinthians, he was renowned as a defensive midfielder who was instrumental in winning midfield battles and even initiating several attacking plays.

Guardiola, however, sees the strong midfielder as a suitable centre-back instead and has mainly employed him alongside either Carlos Puyol or Gerard Pique in their matches this season. In the match against Mallorca, Mascherano operated alongside the two defenders in a three-man defence and he played admirably and helped goalkeeper Victor Valdes keep a clean sheet.

"I feel great playing in the back-line, even though my position on the right-hand side is a bit weird for me," the 27-year-old confessed according to the club website.

"But we did a good job and our defence was great."

The match saw Thiago collect a second yellow card in the 57th minute and with Barcelona holding a slender one-goal lead, the pressure had increased substantially on the defence.

"Against Mallorca we kept our composure. We withstood the pressure after losing a player and with the second goal [from Pique on 79 minutes], the game got a bit easier because there wasn't much time left," said Mascherano.

"We just have to do our work in the best way possible but always looking to see how the leaders are doing," he mused.

And now the focus shifts on their mouth-watering Champions League tie against AC Milan on Wednesday and even in the European competition, Mascherano has been ever-present in central defence playing on more occasions than his Spanish colleagues so far.

"We have to start thinking about AC Milan.

"The away leg will be important in the tie."

Mascherano will hope to keep up the good work in defence helping lay a strong defensive foundation for Guardiola's side who have notched over 600 goals under the 41-year-old's reign so far.