Javier Mascherano has discussed Barcelona’s epic win against Paris Saint-Germain in 2017 and likened Lionel Messi and Sergio Busquets to household objects as his Inter Miami team bid to reach the CONCACAF Champions Cup final.
Miami must overturn a 2-0 first-leg deficit when they host Vancouver on Wednesday (20:00 ET), with Mascherano a veteran of colossal comebacks after playing in Barca’s 6-1 second-leg home thrashing of Paris in the Champions League last 16, when they started 4-0 behind from the first leg.
“That night, I learned nothing is impossible,” said Mascherano, who was a European champion with the Spanish club in 2011 and 2015, as well as winning La Liga and the Copa del Rey five times each.
“In football, anything can happen – absolutely anything. Clearly, the situtation is different; no two matches are alike and the context is totally different. I believe more than anyone else, which is why I’m here.”
😱😱😱 Unbelievable, remarkable, historic…
Paris 4-0 Barcelona (Agg: 4-0)
Barcelona 6-1 Paris (Agg: 6-5)🔵🔴 One of the greatest European comebacks of all time #OTD in 2017 🔥#UCL | #OnThisDay | @FCBarcelona pic.twitter.com/mOAFqd1PA4
— UEFA Champions League (@ChampionsLeague) March 8, 2020
📰 Table Of Contents
Messi and Busquets ‘specialists in spaces’
Mascherano and defender Maxi Falcon acknowledged that “concentration” slips had cost Miami when they made the seven-hour trip for the first leg, conceding twice from crosses on a multi-weather pitch.
With Miami requiring greater defensive rigour and at least two goals, former Argentina international Mascherano was asked whether he will adapt the tactical responsibilites given to the likes of top scorer Lionel Messi and midfielder Sergio Busquets.
“A player like him has every freedom to advance in the attacking phase,” Mascherano said of Busquets, who was also part of Barcelona’s comeback against PSG alongside his current manager, Messi and Miami players Luis Suarez and Jordi Alba.
“If there is anyone who knows the central midfielder position, it is him. I will not teach him. The first day I came here, I said to him that one of the coincidences of life is that in 2010, I went to learn from him at Barcelona, and now I have ended up coaching him.
“As a coach, I can bring things – especially on the defensive side – but if there are two players who are specialists on how to occupy spaces, it is Leo and [Busquets].”
Inter Miami vs Vancouver
The 40-year-old, who is in his first season in club management, produced an entertaining analogy while contemplating Busquets and Messi’s roles for the decider.
“There is no need to do strange things,” said Mascherano. “The refrigerator is in the kitchen and the sofa is in the living room.
“By doing normal things, the team will have a chance. I believe in how we have been training. A loss or two is not going to change my perspective.”
Miami suffered their first MLS defeat of the season on Sunday, losing 4-3 at home to Dallas in a game in which Messi and Suarez were rested and Busquets was an unused substitute.
WHAT A MATCH IN SOUTH FLORIDA. 🍿
Anderson Julio. 3-3. Game on.
📺 #MLSSeasonPass: https://t.co/1YnP6epeWv pic.twitter.com/RO4XUK21uT
— Major League Soccer (@MLS) April 27, 2025
Liverpool 2005 Champions League final
Another remarkable revival by one of his former teams has inspired Mascherano, who referenced Liverpool’s iconic response to being 3-0 behind at half-time against Milan in the 2005 Champions League final.
The Reds scored three times within eight minutes shortly after the break and proceeded to win the game on penalties in Istanbul.
“We can hold on to a lot of examples – the question is how much we believe in our ability to come back,” added Mascherano.
“These are words, and words are carried away by the wind. The most important thing is what we do in those 90 or 120 minutes.
“We can take this club to the final for the first time and give the players a privileged position in the history of the club. The challenge is enormous and I am delighted to be able to live it.”
⏪ 2005: THAT Liverpool comeback against AC Milan in in Istanbul… @LFC | #UCLdraw pic.twitter.com/yHm3QtTGTH
— UEFA Champions League (@ChampionsLeague) August 26, 2021
Barcelona vs PSG 2017: What happened?
Suarez scored after three minutes against Paris at the Camp Nou in that folkloric game in Barcelona and Champions League history, but even Layzin Kurzawa’s own-goal before half-time to reduce Barca’s deficit to 4-2 gave little hint of the drama to come.
Messi converted a penalty and Edinson Cavani replied to make the aggregate score 5-3 to PSG until the 88th minute, when Neymar put Barcelona a goal from drawing level.
In a sensational ending, Neymar added a 91st-minute penalty and Sergi Roberto scored the 95th-minute winner, sending the hosts through 6-5 on aggregate.
Inter Miami vs Vancouver Whitecaps expected line-ups
Inter Miami: Ustari, Weigandt, Falcon, Allen, Alba, Segovia, Busquets, Redondo, Allende, Messi, Suarez
Vancouver Whitecaps: Takaoka, Ocampo, Blackmon, Vaselinovic, Johnson, Berhalter, Cubas, Vite, Rios, White, Ahmed
How to watch Inter Miami vs Vancouver Whitecaps: TV channel, online stream
Inter Miami vs Vancouver Whitecaps will kick-off at 20:00 ET and 17:00 PT. Fans in the US can watch the game on Fubo TV, Fox Sports 1 and in Spanish language on TUDN, ViX
