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• Paula Carragher to visit stadium for only second time
• Defender leads Liverpool XI v Everton to mark 14-year career

Jamie Carragher may have played 634 times for Liverpool in his 14-year professional career but the most significant appearance among the gallery of stars present at Anfield for his testimonial tomorrow will be his mother’s.

Paula Carragher has only once before visited the ground, and even then it was very early in his career when the now 32-year-old was still a youth team player. But she will make an exception to watch her son’ as he captains a Liverpool XI against a side from Everton, the club Carragher supported as a boy.

“My mum has only been to Anfield once, when we won the youth cup,” said Carragher. “She’ll be in the directors box for her second outing but football has always been for the boys in our house.

“I am looking forward to enjoying the game. It will be a family day and I’m sure my kids will go on the pitch at some point for a kickabout.”

Carragher has been keen to stress the testimonial, which will raise funds for his 23 Foundation supporting groups and charities in Liverpool, does not signal the end of his career. He does admit it is a time for reflection, though.

“The obvious highlight is Istanbul in 2005,” he said. “But I think my first full league game when I scored against Aston Villa [was significant] because without that who knows what I would have achieved?”

Asked to pick a low point he said: “There have been plenty of those – the more you play the more bad ones you have. I remember losing 3-0 to Everton and having a nightmare, I didn’t sleep for a week afterwards!”

Liverpoolguardian.co.uk

• ‘There have been a lot of lies. I will respond to them’
• Player says Barcelona move is a year too late

Javier Mascherano has warned Roy Hodgson that he will reveal the truth behind the “lies” that surrounded his departure from Anfield – and admitted his £17m move to Barcelona was a year overdue. He also insisted there was never an offer on the table for him to join Rafa Benítez at Internazionale.

Mascherano, right, was reported to have refused to play against Manchester City as he sought to force through a move to Spain, with Hodgson accusing him of being “selfish”. But at his Barça unveiling, he said: “Roy Hodgson knows the truth. This is a happy moment for me so now is not the time to say it, but a lot of lies have been told about me and I will respond to them.

“Last year Liverpool would not let me leave. There was no way they would sell me. They had Xabi Alonso and me, and they would only let Xabi leave,” said the 26‑year‑old.

“I was disappointed not to be able to sign last season. When the best club in the world calls you, then it is something that you want to happen. I have signed for the only club who really wanted me. In no moment did I ever think that Inter was a possibility. Rafa valued me and perhaps that is why people started saying that I could go there but this is the only club that pushed to sign me.”

But Mascherano was keen too to rebuild bridges with fans at Liverpool, with whom he spent three seasons. “I hope they get back into the Champions League as soon as possible. I still have a lot of affection for the fans of the club and I always will.”

BarcelonaLiverpoolTransfer windowSid Loweguardian.co.uk

• Midfielder’s four-year deal has buy-out clause of €90m
• Mascherano takes No14 shirt once worn by Thierry Henry

Javier Mascherano has finalised his move from Liverpool to Barcelona after signing a four-year deal, the Spanish champions confirmed this evening.

The 26-year-old midfielder’s contract has a buy-out clause of €90m and he will take the No14 shirt, which was previously worn by Thierry Henry.

“The truth is it’s a dream, it’s a great joy,” Mascherano told Barca TV after a five-hour medical. “It is a great club with great players and I will try to adapt as quickly as I possibly can.”

The Argentina captain and former West Ham midfielder left Anfield after three years on Merseyside.

BarcelonaLiverpoolTransfer windowKaty Murrellsguardian.co.uk