Catalan sports paper El Mundo Deportivo report that Barca coach Pep Guardiola has rejected the possibility of signing Liverpool FC midfielder and Argentine international Javier Mascherano (26). Pep remains convinced he will face the start of the season with the current squad, bringing up players from the quarry when required.

El Mundo claim this was the same reason for rejecting the transfer of Werder Bremen midfielder and German international Mesut Ozil (21), who the board saw as an alternative to Cesc Fabregas after the failed recruitment of Arsenal midfielder, and unless there is a sudden change of opinion by Pep, Mascherano, who was virtually offered on a plate to Barcelona through a statement made by the player after the Ireland-Argentina friendly, will not be donning the Blaugrana jersey as of next season.

When asked about his opinion on the Spanish players not being available for the 1st leg against Sevilla, Pep said in the pre-match press conference yesterday,

“I’m taking the best players I have right now. The circumstances are what they are for this game and there’s no use moaning about it. We are taking the players we have with the intention of putting in a good performance”

“It’s an honour to figure in the Super Cup. It shows you did well the season before. We are taking it very seriously indeed. We have shown we take all competitions seriously and this is no exception.”

Questioned about the possible signing of Mascherano, Guardiola said, putting him in the same bracket as the other players who were linked with the club in recent weeks like Oezil, Capoue, Senna etc.

“Giving my opinion now wouldn’t help. I wouldn’t be doing the club any good if I started saying I like this player or that one. We are linked with many players, but my job is to give my opinion to the board. The board knows what I want for the next year and what I think of the squad. The club is working on different possibilities and I have the final say.”

Asked about the clubs slow movement in the transfer market, Pep said, “We’ve already spent 49 million euros in Villa and Adriano, thats not bad. And I can assure you that we will be fine.”

Guardiola then ensured that whatever the outcome of the Super Cup against Sevilla, it will not affect his idea about the transfers.

“Every year it is the same. There will be players who leave and enter. We are open to these inputs, but also for players from below (cantera). I have great faith in the quarry, I know them as I have trained them previously. Perhaps it may seem daring, but I’m the coach and I have great faith in these players. That does not mean we will not sign another player for sure, but it will not depend on the match against Sevilla”

“I think we’ll do something special this year. I’ve got some players who’ve shown over the years what they can do and some great young players. Maybe I’m going out on a limb, but I make a decision based on whether I believe something or not and I believe in this”.