Mascherano: Sad To See Liverpool Slump

New dawn: Javier Mascherano is settling into life at Barcelona but is pained by his former club's situation He left the club under a dark cloud this summer but Javier Mascherano has admitted to feeling pained when he sees Liverpool languishing in the Premier League relegation zone. The Argentine international moved to Barcelona after months of speculation in which the midfielder publicly stated his desire to leave Merseyside. And while his new club have maintained their high standards, those he left behind have struggled to adapt to Roy Hodgson's new regime. Mascherano said: 'I view what's going on there with sadness. Liverpool are a club that gave me a lot. I have friends there and affection for the club. It is unfortunate that there are in this rare and difficult situation. 'With the players they have and the club they are, they will pick themselves up, it 's just strange to see them in the situation there are in today.' Mascherano has found playing time at Barcelona hard to come by. He has started just twice and made a total of five appearances for the Catalan club.

However he insists that he is enjoying life in La Liga both on and, crucially, off the field. 'I have been improving with every game and will continue to do so,' he said ahead of Wednesday's Champions League match against FC Copenhagen. 'I came when the league had already started and everything was a change, but my teammates and coach have made me feel very comfortable. I am trying to learn things every day, and take in new ideas about the game.'