Rafael Benitez has lost his battle to prevent Javier Mascherano from going to Beijing after he was yesterday named in Argentina’s Olympic squad.
The decision could prompt the Spaniard to speed up his attempts to sign Aston Villa’s Gareth Barry as Mascherano will now be unavailable for both Liverpool’s Champions League qualifying legs on August 12 and 27 as well as the first two games of the Premier League campaign at Sunderland and at home to Middlesbrough.
While Benitez was prepared to let 21-year-old Lucas go to China if he was selected by Brazil, he has complained bitterly about the prospect of £18.6million signing Mascherano, who at 24 is an over-age player with 36 caps for the full Argentina side, being called up.
At the end of last season, Benitez said: “We will try to find a solution with Mascherano that will be the best for the club and the best for the player.”
Mascherano, who already has an Olympic gold medal from the Athens games four years ago, is now in line to face Canada on August 6, Sweden on August 9 and hosts China on August 12 with potential quarter and semi-finals to follow before the gold medal match on August 21.
Mascherano been named in Sergio Batista’s 18-man party along with other high-profile players such as Lionel Messi, Sergio Aguero and Juan Roman Riquelme.
Liverpool youngster Emiliano Insua – who signed a new long-term contract with the club on Wednesday will remain on Batista’s standby list.
Mascherano, Riquelme and Internazionale defender Nicolas Burdisso are the squad’s three over-age players.
Argentina will travel to Tokyo to play a friendly against Japan on July 29 before going on to Beijing.
The decision could prompt the Spaniard to speed up his attempts to sign Aston Villa’s Gareth Barry as Mascherano will now be unavailable for both Liverpool’s Champions League qualifying legs on August 12 and 27 as well as the first two games of the Premier League campaign at Sunderland and at home to Middlesbrough.
While Benitez was prepared to let 21-year-old Lucas go to China if he was selected by Brazil, he has complained bitterly about the prospect of £18.6million signing Mascherano, who at 24 is an over-age player with 36 caps for the full Argentina side, being called up.
At the end of last season, Benitez said: “We will try to find a solution with Mascherano that will be the best for the club and the best for the player.”
Mascherano, who already has an Olympic gold medal from the Athens games four years ago, is now in line to face Canada on August 6, Sweden on August 9 and hosts China on August 12 with potential quarter and semi-finals to follow before the gold medal match on August 21.
Mascherano been named in Sergio Batista’s 18-man party along with other high-profile players such as Lionel Messi, Sergio Aguero and Juan Roman Riquelme.
Liverpool youngster Emiliano Insua – who signed a new long-term contract with the club on Wednesday will remain on Batista’s standby list.
Mascherano, Riquelme and Internazionale defender Nicolas Burdisso are the squad’s three over-age players.
Argentina will travel to Tokyo to play a friendly against Japan on July 29 before going on to Beijing.
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