This time last year, Javier Mascherano was playing for Corinthians, and getting sent off in a Copa Libertadores second round tie against his former side River Plate in El Monumental. He was watching a club fall to pieces around him and looking forward to getting the hell out after the World Cup. Then he went to West Ham alongside Carlos Tevez, in a deal which saw him referred to by many as ‘the other bloke’. Mascherano played for the reserves, despite having been the best player on the pitch during his first team debut, against Palermo in the UEFA Cup qualifying round.
In January, Liverpool obtained special dispensation from FIFA to become Mascherano’s third club of a twelve-month period, since when he’s shown what he can do. And on Wednesday night, in the final of the UEFA Champions League, he marked Kaká out of the game for the first 75 minutes. Since Liverpool were unfortunate to be trailing 1-0 to an inadvertant stroke-of-half-time strike from Pippo Inzaghi, Peter Crouch then came on – for Mascherano, despite the latter’s having been possibly the best player on the pitch.
Minutes later, Kaká was whipping in a dangerous cross which went unmet in the middle. Minutes after that, he found himself in the same kind of position Masche had been dispossessing him in all game, only this time in acres of space. Cue a simple through-ball, for Inzaghi to round the goalkeeper and put the match (just) beyond Liverpool’s reach, in spite of Dirk Kuyt’s late header.
El Jefecito will surely have more chances to win shiny trophies. But right now, Rafa Benítez must be feeling like a very silly boy indeed.
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