Twelve more games and Arsenal’s title-chasing season will be over, one way or another. So far, the Gunners are on the right path and after a few bad results, came out of the crisis stronger and are again five points ahead of Manchester City. More and more ex-players are coming out to the press to support Arsenal in their title quest, and Cesc Fabregas is one of those. The former Gunners midfielder recently participated in ‘Kammy and Ben’s Proper Football Podcast’ and talked about his days at the club and the tricky relationship he had with former manager Arsene Wenger.Cesc Fabregas on #afc title chances”Yes, I really hope so because I feel a bit identified with this group of players – the Odegaards, the Sakas, Martinellis, ESRs. I can see myself in their eyes… I was at the training ground recently & I saw them & they’re super good kids.” pic.twitter.com/8tzxsyBQ53— Gilles 🇳🇬🏴 (@_Grimanditweets) March 9, 2023 Among other questions, Arsenal’s title quest was mentioned.“Yes, I really hope so because I feel a bit identified with this group of players – with the Odegaards, the Sakas, Martinellis, Smith Rowes. I can see myself in their eyes…I was at the training ground recently and I saw them and they’re super good kids. Humble, they want to work hard. There is a lot of chemistry between them and we really had that. It’s just once we were getting into March… April, March, it was always at that moment where we couldn’t keep up because of injuries” said Fabregas.‘There is no freedom at all with Antonio Conte’The more interesting part of the conversation was the Spaniard’s Arsenal tenure and his unsuccessful comeback to the Emirates. After leaving his boyhood club Barcelona at the age of 16, he became Gunner’s favourite player and the captain, but his former club and their coach Pep Guardiola called him and he couldn’t miss it. After eight years in North London, he came back to Camp Nou.“I always said it was the most difficult decision. In my heart, it was the easiest decision in a way because of what I had in my past, because I was always a supporter and it was my dream to play for Barcelona first team since I was a child. But it was really hard because Arsenal gave me so, so, so much and I felt so loved by the whole club, by the fans. If it wasn’t Barcelona, for sure, I would have stayed at Arsenal. No matter what. Because of the frustration of so many years not winning at Arsenal, I just felt I was draining myself because I was giving so much and playing 60 games a season and never resting. And then seeing everyone winning in Barcelona, and playing so beautifully and Pep calling me and texting me and…”I want to do this, I want to play 3-4-3, to play all of you together and blah, blah, blah.” Everything together got the best out of me and I just decided it was the next step for me. Guardiola was a really big influence because he was my idol when I was very young. I wear number 4 because of him. I played in his position when I was in the academy of Barcelona. So, he was a big influence for me. And when your idol, your hero, calls you and then you see what beautiful football they’re playing, and there’s so many friends of yours playing there… But yeah, he was very important, of course” explained Fabregas.Former Barcelona playmaker regrets leaving Arsenal: Arsene Wenger was like a father to meBut his departure, although perfectly understandable, was not so well received by Arsene Wenger. Fabregas played regularly but couldn’t be the same footballer he was in Arsenal, so Barcelona decided to sell him after just three seasons. His first option was the Gunners. But….“In the contract when I signed for Barcelona we said that, after I leave, Arsenal will have the first option. They had a week to respond. So obviously we approached Arsenal, we said “listen I’m leaving Barcelona and by law, you have a week to decide if you want to take me back or not.” For a week I couldn’t talk to anyone else. We noticed Arsenal, Arsene, everyone, so after a week we called Arsene and he said he’d thought about it and he said they already had a lot of players in my position like Mesut Ozil… Cazorla, Jack Wilshere, Aaron Ramsey and he said to fit me in he would have to play someone out and this could create, you know… I think also he was a little bit hurt… by how I left and everything. I don’t hold anything bad because it’s their right, their decision and they could do what they wanted. I had a few options and one of them was Chelsea. I spoke to Mourinho, I met him. He told me things that were very nice to hear. He wanted me to be the leader of that team. It just felt right” explained Fabregas.Cesc Fabregas is back at ArsenalWhen asked about his biggest regret was, of course, the lack of trophies at the Emirates.“The biggest regret of my career will always be not winning that Champions League final in 2006 that we were so, so close. The first ever, or the only Champions League final that Arsenal has ever played and I was only 18. And we were so close. Also, not lifting a trophy as an Arsenal captain was something that will always be in my heart because I gave so much. I exhausted myself so much. I hope Arsene Wenger knows what I gave for the club, emotionally and physically, and in terms of everything” said Fabregas.UEFA EUROPA LEAGUERound of 16 – 1st legThursday20:45: (1.70) Union Berlin (3.60) St.Gilloise (5.40)20:45: (1.33) Leverkusen (5.70) Ferencvaros (10.0)20:45: (3.40) Sporting (3.45) Arsenal (2.25)20:45: (2.25) Roma (3.15) Sociedad (3.45)23:00: (1.80) Sevilla (3.70) Fenerbahce (5.00)23:00: (1.70) Juventus (3.70) Freiburg (5.90)23:00: (1.45) Man.Utd. (4.40) Betis (7.25)23:00: (3.10) Shakhtar (3.45) Feyenoord (2.40)***odds are subject to change***
