Javier Mascherano has reflected that Barcelona will benefit from having all their strikers scoring goals for the team.
The past two games have seen Pedro Rodriguez, David Villa and Alexis Sanchez each net twice to end differing dry spells in front of goal and for their teammate Mascherano, it is important.
“It’s important for the confidence of the players and the team, if all in attack are scoring. The scoring game after game is very important for a player and a team fighting for three competitions,” reflected the converted centre-back today.
“We cannot always depend on one player, even the best in the world, everyone has to contribute and more so when we are talking about top players like Pedro, Alexis and Villa, who have great qualities.
“We are at an important time. The second half of the season is when titles are defined, but we have to keep doing the same.
“The team is good, playing as we are and everyone is attuned and focused on the same cause. We are all a part of this.
“Even if we are missing an important piece of the team, those who enter in their place are ready to perform right.”
This weekend the team will travel out to Malaga without their Coach Tito Vilanova, who is still in New York as part of his medical recovery from a relapse in his cancer.
“As he has said, it is a very personal situation. The disease is his and he wants to keep it private, it’s best to leave him alone. When it comes to health, everything else takes a back seat.
“Nothing makes sense compared to health. You do what you have to in order to be okay.”
Mascherano had spells in England with West Ham and Liverpool before his move to Barca and was asked which is now the better League, in light of Spain’s dominance at the Ballon d’Or gala.
“They come in cycles. When I was in England it was said that the Premier League was the most powerful because it dominated the Champions League.
“I think today La Liga has the teams that have won the most Champions Leagues and the current Europa League and who reached the semi-finals last year.
“This shows that it is dominating in Europe, like with the Spanish national team, whose players almost all play in Spain.”
Mascherano was also asked for his comment on Sergio Ramos’ five-game ban for insulting the referee after being sent off during Real Madrid’s Copa del Rey win over Celta Vigo this week.
“It is not for me to judge on what the Committee decides. Yes, it is true that we are warned. When we do or say the wrong thing, we will have no excuse because we know the precedents.
“Everyone must do their job. The Committee is there to judge what is right and not. We have no excuses for punishments, we must be prepared because we know how others have been punished.”
