Mascherano, in tears: It's time to wake up from the dream, it's over

Javier Mascherano was thrown a farewell event on Wendesday ahead of his move to Chinese Super League side Hebei Fortune on Friday. 

President Josep Maria Bartomeu, coach Ernesto Valverde and the first team squad were among the guests at the event. 

Mascherano could not avoid getting emotional as he said goodbye after seven-and-a-half years at the club, tearing up as he thanked his teammates, the club's staff and the supporters. 

After listening to Bartomeu's speech, he said: "I've been very fortunate. I arrived seven years ago to fulfill a dream and now it's time to wake up. The dream's over. I lasted longer than I though. Now it's time to say goodbye and I will carry with me a lot of affection." 

The Argentina international also revealed the key to his 17 trophies won at Camp Nou: "The dressing room is the secret to all these years. When I arrived, I thought I would find a difficult dressing room, because of the great players there were and everything they had won. 

"But it was the opposite. I found a group of spectacular humans, which is the secret to Barcelona's success. Puyil, Xavi and Victor [Valdes] got things started, then it cahnged, but the values remained the same. That's the secret. These seven years have past super quick. It's been seven years, but it seems fewer." 

However, Mascherano was quite clear that now is the time to leave. 

“The moment had arrived,” he admitted. “I had to take this decision. Time has been the biggest indicator that I was losing my importance in the team. It was making things more difficult. I didn’t want to put the club in a difficult position, so this was the decision. 

“Sometimes you have to accept the reality. I'm not the player I was. It's normal, natural. I needed to make this change. I didn’t feel like I could revert the situation here. The quality of the centre-backs in the team is so high.

“The hardest thing about playing for Barcelona is that you know that one day you will have to leave. I feel privileged, fortunate for everything I have been able to experience here. I never imagined I would stay here for so long and be part of the club’s history."