Barcelona Confirms Farewell Ceremony for China-Bound Javier Mascherano
Barcelona will officially bid farewell to Javier Mascherano by way of an 'institutional ceremony' on Wednesday.
The event will be streamed by the club live on social media channels such as Facebook, BarcaVideo and YouTube, allowing fans to engage from around the world, according to the club's official website.
Mascherano is leaving the club after joining from Liverpool in 2010 to embark on a new chapter in the final stages of his playing career in the form of Hebei China Fortune in the Far East.
The midfielder-turned-defender is 33 now and had become a peripheral figure at the Nou Camp, with Samuel Umtiti the preferred center back partner of Gerard Pique when fit.
Thomas Vermaelen had been filling in for the Frenchman during his spell on the sidelines, and there has been little chance for Mascherano to feature in midfield.
The former Corinthians player has had a highly successful time at the Nou Camp, winning both the league title and Copa del Rey on four occasions, and also two Champions League trophies along the way.
All in all he made 334 appearances under Pep Guardiola, Tito Villanova, Tata Martina, Luis Enrique and Ernesto Valverde. That makes him the fourth-highest foreign appearance-maker at the club after Lionel Messi, Philipp Cocu and Dani Alves.
Barcelona are currently flying high in La Liga - they sit top of the pile, 11 points ahead of second-placed Atletico Madrid and a whopping 19 points ahead of Real Madrid in fourth.
