Cesc Fabregas spent over a decade of his life in England while playing for Arsenal and Chelsea.
The Spaniard was one of the most accomplished footballers in the world. He won almost everything for club and country and was a magnificent player to watch.
Now a coach at Como in Italy, Fabregas has been recollecting many things about his playing days, and he has now revealed the team he really ‘disliked’ when he was at Arsenal.
For those trying to guess – no, it’s not Tottenham!
Cesc Fabregas reveals why he ‘disliked’ Chelsea when he was playing for Arsenal
Fabregas was Arsenal through and through when he was at the club.
The Spaniard was named as the captain by Arsene Wenger at a young age, and he was a fan favourite at the Emirates Stadium.
After eight years as a Gunner, Fabregas decided that he wanted to leave and joined Barcelona. His stay in Spain lasted just three years and he returned to England – to join Chelsea.
That made Arsenal fans furious, but Fabregas knew what he was doing, and he decided that a move to Stamford Bridge was the best thing for him.
Now, the former midfielder has revealed that he actually ‘disliked’ the Blues a lot when he was at Arsenal because they were so frustrating to play against.
That’s apparently one of the reasons why he signed for Chelsea.
When Gary Lineker asked why he chose to join the Blues, Fabregas replied on the Rest is Football podcast: “You know, when I was at Arsenal – Chelsea and me, Chelsea and Arsenal, you know how it is – it was always a frustrating time playing against Chelsea because they were really strong, they were superb with Mourinho, Drogba, Lampard, Terry etc.
“I always disliked them so much, even more for this reason. I always said this. For this reason, it was so frustrating playing against them.”
Listen to ‘The Rest Is Football‘ wherever you get your podcasts.
READ MORE: Cesc Fabregas recalls the crazy thing Patrick Vieira would do to prepare Arsenal squad for ‘war’
Arsenal could’ve re-signed Fabregas but Wenger rejected him
Arsenal could’ve signed Fabregas when he decided to leave Barcelona.
The Gunners had a first-refusal clause inserted in the deal that took him to the Camp Nou, and the midfielder would’ve been open to a return to the Emirates.
However, when he approached Wenger about re-signing him, the legendary Frenchman told him to find a different club because Mesut Ozil had filled his spot at the Emirates (Guardian).
That’s the reason why Fabregas had to explore other options, and he eventually picked Chelsea ahead of clubs like Manchester United and Manchester City.
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