Mascherano blasts Gunners

Midfielder hits back at Arsenal complaints

By Francisco Acedo   Last updated: 9th March 2011   Subscribe to RSS Feed

Mascherano blasts Gunners

Mascherano: Blast at Arsenal

Let's not be hypocrites. We didn't let them breathe and that was the key. We played Barca's way and that's why we advanced

. Javier Mascherano on Arsenal
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Barcelona midfielder Javier Mascherano has labelled Arsenal as 'hypocrites' for blaming the referee for their defeat in the UEFA Champions League.

Arsenal crashed out of Europe after seeing Barcelona overturn a first-leg deficit with a 3-1 win at Camp Nou to progress 4-3 on aggregate.

The Gunners were furious with the performance of referee Massimo Busacca during Tuesday night's second leg encounter after he controversially sent off Robin van Persie in the second half for playing on after being adjudged to have been offside.

Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger and Samir Nasri have been charged by Uefa with improper conduct for their comments regarding Busacca in the aftermath of the game.

Former Liverpool ace Mascherano insists Arsenal would be foolish to blame their defeat on the performance of the referee.

"Barca always wins thanks to the referee, never because of its play, not for having taken 19 shots on goal, not for having won 74 per cent of the possession or completing 900 passes," fumed Mascherano

"Let's not be hypocrites. We didn't let them breathe and that was the key. We played Barca's way and that's why we advanced."

"We did not allow Arsenal any chances at the Nou Camp and this was the key to the match.

"Barca plays as a team and that is the reason for our success. Not the individual actions, but the compact work of the eleven players."

Lionel Messi was again the star of the show with two goals to become Barcelona's all-time top scorer in Europe with 33 goals and Mascherano admits it is difficult to explain his fellow countryman's talent.

"It's hard to explain about Messi. What he is doing isn't normal but we're all starting to see it as something regular," added Mascherano.

"He's making history and let's hope he continues to do so for many years for us and for everyone."

Comments (21)

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Kevin Bradshaw (Arsenal fan) says...

For all the brilliance of Barca, for all the arrogance of Mascherano and for all the insistence of Guardiola that Barca were always going to be the winners, it should be remembered that Arsenal were a miskick by Bendtner away from winning the tie. Pep can insist all he likes that the sending off had no affect on the game, but I would back Van Persie to stick that late chance from Wilshires excellent pass into the back of the net all day long., and with it, Arsenals passage into the last 8. Yes the stats weighed heavily in Barcas favour, but I see this happen at the Emirates all the time. Arsenal will dominate the possession all day long and come away with a narrow victory or unlucky defeat. Its a product of the type of football that they and Barcelona employ. Wenger had banked on the game opening up in the second half, as it did in the first leg, which would have suited the gunners and he would have been right. Straight away after the restart Arsenal had more of the ball, got the corner which lead to the goal, and things were starting to look good, one more goal and we were surely through. That Barcelona monopolised the possession in the second half was down in no small part to unfair the numerical advantage. so dont tell me that possession wins matches, it doesn't. Goals win matches and when RVP got sent off we lost our best chance of scoring one.

Posted 20:50 9th March 2011

Aaron Horton (Aston Villa fan) says...

Isn't this the guy that's been sat on the bench all season? What a joke.

Posted 20:41 9th March 2011

Tom Linford (Arsenal fan) says...

Barely there for a cup of coffee and already talking about Barca's way?! Arsenal were outplayed in the first leg too but we know how that finished. The fact is Arsenal had a key player sent off for a stupid reason. I saw three separate incidents where Arsenal players were grabbed by the throat by opposition players. These are real sending off offences and yet all went unpunished. We'll never know what the outcome would have been with a better referee.

Posted 20:33 9th March 2011

Darren White (Manchester United fan) says...

Dislike the guy but have to say he is spot on here. Arsenal blaming referee when they were simply outclassed is funny. Hold your hands up Wenger to being completely outplayed

Posted 20:23 9th March 2011

Johnny B (Arsenal fan) says...

I love this from a team that only win against 10 English players, and always need the referee on their side to give them dodgy, sofr penalties. Mascherano says it himself, '19 shots at goal',and '74% of the possession', so take out the penalty and the two goals, they MISSED 17 times. It has become the case now that Barca, as the supposed 'best club side in the world', are deemed too good to lose. At 1 all, they were struggling to get through to the next stage. For all their skill, possession and passing, they were not scoring, until, shock, horror, an Arsenal player gets sent off and a penalty is given!!!!! If Mascherano genuinely believes that this didn't effect the outcome, along with all the other 'fortunate' decisions Barca seem to enjoy against English teams in the past, and sadly, probably in the future, then I fear he needs a psychiatric evaluation as he is obviously delusional!!

Posted 20:20 9th March 2011

Richy Hyde says...

Who cares what Mascherano thinks, he's Barcelonas weakest player and I'm sure he'll be replaced soon. He struggled to put a decent pass in last night and it was no thanks to him Barcelona won.

Posted 19:37 9th March 2011

Ganesh Viswanathan (Arsenal fan) says...

Duh, 11 against 10 and still you could only beat us 3-1? If it were 11 on 11, beat us 3-2 and we still go through. Pass all you want, dominate all you want, if you can't convert your chances you are really asking for trouble. Isn't that what Arsenal get blamed for in their Premier League matches? String together 900 passes, do whatever you think you can as the best team ever in football history, but at 1-1 and 11 v 11 it was still a game. Getting 80-95% possession doesn't give you the divine right to win a tie.

Posted 19:34 9th March 2011

Glenn Hoyles (Arsenal fan) says...

LOL Mascherano! Maybe you shold concentrate less on how rubbish Arsenal were, and concentrate more on not warming benches for the rest of the season like you have been so far. LOL joker!

Posted 19:15 9th March 2011

Stephen Grindrod (Manchester United fan) says...

I'm not sure if something has been lost in translation, but he should probably look up the definition of hypocrite. My opinion: Barcelona were far better, but the referee was a joke to send off RVP, while the game was 1-1, and the tie 3-2 to Arsenal on aggregate. Chelsea also had refereeing decisions against them in the semi final against Barca 2 years ago. There has been an anti-English stance from UEFA for some time now, which is a shame. There is no doubt that Barcelona are the best team in the world at the moment - they shouldn't need the referees assistance in these big matches.

Posted 19:12 9th March 2011

Michael Lockhart (West Ham United fan) says...

Not sure he quite understands what hypocrite means to be honest, because how would that make arsenal hypocrites?

Posted 19:07 9th March 2011

Jon Henry (Arsenal fan) says...

These are words coming from a bench warmer! Arsenal had a tactic and it was working beautifully till the red card. How many times have we heard that Arsenal have played outstanding and still loses or draws the game? Unbelievable number of times and that could have changed had it not been for the silly reff... UEFA really wanted barca to advance, I think! It can't be a coincidence with what happened against Chelsea and all those penalties and again with Arsenal. On the bright side, this will give us a chance to concentrate on the prem league. Last season chelsea were knocked out at this stage and they went on to win the prem league and FA cup! So all hope is not lost.

Posted 18:57 9th March 2011

David Ryder (Liverpool fan) says...

I think Mascherano should luck up the definition 'hypocrites' because it's not what he's talking about

Posted 18:54 9th March 2011

Basudde Kajubi (Arsenal fan) says...

I think this topic has been beaten to death...why would Barca players feel the need to comment so vehemently if they weren't wondering themselves what would've happened... I haven't heard a single one of them say whether it was good decision or a bad decision though...the only thing I would ask Mascherano is, where exactly is the hypocrisy in his point...maybe it's a bad translation or something...hypocrisy would be if Arsenal took advantage of a bad refereeing decision and then complained about this one...Si/No

Posted 18:45 9th March 2011

Ben Ward (Arsenal fan) says...

Okay, Barca were the better team. Sure. But the better team does not always win in this game. That's one of the reasons it is so much fun to watch. I guarantee if RVP had the ball where Bendtner did when Wilshere crossed the ball in he at least would have gotten a shot off. Who knows what could have happened. That one moment could have changed the game. Arsenal could have gone through on away goals. Also, I think Masch needs to have the word 'hypocrite' redefined to him. It seems he doesn't quite grasp what a hypocrite really is.

Posted 18:45 9th March 2011

Calum Baker (Arsenal fan) says...

I bet if Mascherano was on the end of some bad decisions like last night he would be the first to complain

Posted 18:42 9th March 2011

Stephen Mccarthy (Liverpool fan) says...

Dear Mr Mascherano, Football matches are won by who scores the most goals not by who has the most possession. This was not a testimonial match but a high profile competitive match. Van Persie was given the marching orders when Arsenal started to get confidence and find their feet. The referee decided not to let the two teams play and who scores the most to win. He simply decided to give a walk-over to Barcelona. I would like to tell Michel Platini that if he is worried about the money in football then why does his referees decide that Barcelona should be in the final, maybe Barcelona attract more spectators and more money is generated? In this type of a game we need more than a referee but we need video technology and an official whereby the manager has the right to contest say 3 decisions during a game. Then the official with the help of technology can overrule the referee. Those Uefa and Fifa officials that vote against such a move should reflect the football supporters wish, which is the introduction of video technology. In the meantime we have to keep on discussing the gaffs of referees and not football.

Posted 18:41 9th March 2011

Tom Lyons (Queens Park Rangers fan) says...

Is Mascherano seriously calling Arsenal hypocrites? Every tiny decision that went against Barca (one corner and a throw in) he was the first one in the referee's face just as he always does. I am totally neutral, but have grown tired of the preferential treatment that Barca get from refs. Alves kicked out off the ball last night - nothing; Busquets sends half the time rolling on the groung feigning injury and most of the other half niggling at opponents. Mascherano himself is the biggest hacker of all. It may be true that Barcelona completely outplayed Arsenal all night, but the fact remains that Arsenal were ahead in the tie until the ridiculous sending off. So, shut up Mascherano. Just for a change.

Posted 18:21 9th March 2011

Leonard Turton (Arsenal fan) says...

It doesn't matter at all if Barcelona were the better team. The Champions League is a knock out competition. The best team is not necessarily supposed to win. The team that wins a particular match wins the match and progresses. Bendtner could have won it for Arsenal in the last seconds. So the fact that Van Persie was sent off has EVERYTHING to do with Arsenal possibly not going through. Arsenal were 2-0 down last year, 1-0 down this year but just 1-1 when VP got the red card. I'm also tired of the non stop grovelling over Barca. Personally, I've stopped watching them on Sky. When you watch Barca you see 700 passes and smotherball. Who needs to watch 700 passes? It's very boring ... if you support Barcs it's great but games they play are NOT interesting games of football. It puts me to sleep... watching them smother and pass, smother and pass and then a few seconds of personal brilliance.Please. Give me the latest Man U / Chelsea game any day. I don't like Real Madrid but I'd always sooner watch one of their games. If someone doesn't sort Barca out all we are soon going to hear is a billion people snoring. ( Yeah, I snore over Arsenal as well when they go too Barca in the Premiership.)

Posted 18:20 9th March 2011

Danny Mole (Manchester United fan) says...

I agree and disagree with this statement, obviously Barcelona were much better on the day! but it was the same as the Chelsea game for us really, Chelsea were the better team but if the referee had done his job then the game could have changed and the result may have been different! its easy saying after the game that you dominated Arsenal, but who knows, if Abidal had been sent off for grabbing Van Persie's neck, the result may have been different, we may not have seen Van Persie's assault, or the kicking the ball away incident that led to the second yellow! the annoying thing is, once again, all controversy could have been avoided and a team could have won fairly instead of the way they had, it was the same for us vs Chelsea and Liverpool, despite being 2nd best, the results will seem to be decided by controversy! this isn't me saying we would have beaten liverpool, we were 2-0 down, but with 10-men you just never know how a game might change! same with the Rooney elbow, we may not have won if Referee had done his job! Big games are still being decided by refereeing decisions and not football and that will stay that way until referees grow a bit of back-bone and the FA admitting the referee was wrong and changing red card decisions!

Posted 18:13 9th March 2011

Sufian Babri (Arsenal fan) says...

One more Arsenal goal would have crashed your team out, Mascherano. Don't forget this. Abidal was really really lucky not to be booked (at least). Besides, Van Persie is a top player and he showed that in 1st leg, maybe Mascherano was sleeping back then.

Posted 18:01 9th March 2011
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