Javier Mascherano: European experience won the day for Liverpool

Apr 10 2008 by Ian Doyle, Liverpool Daily Post

JAVIER MASCHERANO believes Liverpool’s greater Champions League experience was a factor in dumping Arsenal out of the competition.

Rafael Benitez’s side came from behind twice in their quarter-final tie on Tuesday night to beat the Londoners 4-2 at Anfield and earn a 5-3 aggregate success.

Liverpool must overcome Chelsea in the semi-final for the third time in four seasons to clinch a final place against either Manchester United or Barcelona in Moscow on May 21.

And Mascherano reckons that European nous allied to the desire to win helped Liverpool fight back from being within four minutes of going out against the Gunners.

“We have a lot of players with experience in the Champions League and that was good for us,” said the Argentine. “Even with our younger players, you can look them in the eye and know they have confidence and that they know what to expect. We are all together.

“Maybe that experience was a factor, but it wasn’t just that.

“We had the determination to win, and we wanted to win.”

Mascherano admits that the departure of Arsenal midfielder Mathieu Flamini through injury shortly before half-time was a turning point in the game.

“When Flamini got injured, maybe the game changed a bit because he was playing really well,” he said. “But we knew Arsenal are a good team and very dangerous.

“You could see from their second goal how dangerous they are on the counter-attack. But luckily for us, we managed to go down the other end and get a goal with our next attack.

“We are very happy getting to the semi-final, and we need to enjoy this moment. We know reaching the last four in the Champions League is a difficult thing to do, so we are happy. We’ve had two very difficult matches against Arsenal.

“In the first 20 minutes we didn’t play well, we played badly, but the game changed on Sami Hyypia’s goal, it was good for us.

“I don’t know if it was our best match for us in this season’s Champions League, but we did well after the first half hour.”

Of the forthcoming semi-final, Mascherano added: “It will be very difficult against Chelsea, and more difficult than playing Arsenal.

“It’s a semi-final, and the third semi-final in four years against them.

“It will be a big game for the supporters, the players, for everyone.

“I don’t know if playing the second leg at Stamford Bridge will make a big difference. If we can score goals at Anfield in the first leg, then we will go to Stamford Bridge with maybe half the job done.

“Chelsea are a strong team, and perhaps they play the same way as us.

“They are a good team, but we know we are a good team too.”

Mascherano appeared in both legs against Arsenal while serving a domestic suspension following his sending-off against Manchester United last month.

The Argentine missed the derby victory against Everton because of an initial one-match suspension, but was then handed a further two-game ban following his reaction to being dismissed by referee Steve Bennett at Old Trafford.

Mascherano has already served one match of that additional punishment by sitting out the league game at Arsenal last Wednesday, and if Liverpool fail in their appeal, which is due to be heard today, the player will also miss Sunday’s home game against Blackburn Rovers.

“I’ve already spoken about how I made a mistake at Old Trafford,” said Mascherano. “But it meant that I could concentrate on the Champions League games, as that’s the only competition I’ve been able to play in lately.

“I don’t know if I will be able to play against Blackburn on Sunday. I want to play, but I don’t know what is going to happen.”