Barcelona’s Javier Mascherano says the positive feeling his side had after El Clasico was more important than the points.
The former Liverpool man maintains Barca could have come away with more from the game, yet believes his teammates’ mentality afterwards counts for more than the gap between themselves and Real Madrid.
"We could have come away with more but we should analyse what we did on the pitch rather than talking about the eight-point gap,” he told Barca TV.
“We could have just gone out there hoping something would happen but it was never like that. Walking off the pitch feeling positive is more important.”
Mascherano felt it was a game in which Tito Vilanova’s men grew as a team and knew how to play in adversity, whilst admitting he is not first choice in central defence.
“I’m here so that when something happens I can go out [on the pitch] and do a job”, he said.
The Argentine also praised Adriano, who played alongside him in defence in preference to Alex Song following the absence of Carles Puyol and Gerard Pique through injury.
“He can adapt because he's quick and for the last two years has had experience of how we play, ideas that were easier for him than Song, who has only just arrived.”
Finally, the 28-year-old pointed out that Barca are ‘still a team’ and contrary to popular opinion the players can continue Pep Guardiola’s legacy.
“When the season started people were wondering what would happen in this new era but we are showing we are still the same group of players.
“The most important thing is that we are still a team and that we intend to carry on doing what we have done in recent years", he concluded.
