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Fabregas hopes to avoid Arsenal in UCL

As tension in the Spanish Primera Division and the UEFA Champions League (UCL) competitions mounts, Barcelona’s midfielder, Cesc Fàbregas, shared his thoughts regarding the prospects of facing his former English club, Arsenal, in the UCL

Triwik Kurniasari (The Jakarta Post)
Jakarta
Sat, February 11, 2012

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s tension in the Spanish Primera Division and the UEFA Champions League (UCL) competitions mounts, Barcelona’s midfielder, Cesc Fàbregas, shared his thoughts regarding the prospects of facing his former English club, Arsenal, in the UCL.

On Tuesday, Barcelona, widely known as Barça, will travel to Leverkusen, Germany, to face off against Bayer Leverkusen, while Arsenal will take on Italian Serie A champions AC Milan on the first leg of the round of 16.

Barcelona and Arsenal are still playing in the last 16 of the UCL and if both teams progress, there is chance they will likely meet in the next two rounds.

 “I really hope we don’t play Arsenal in the Champions league because it could be too strange, especially now. It’s too soon after I left, and it would be very weird for me to come to the Emirates [Stadium] because it’s been my home for eight years,” Fàbregas said.

“I really love everyone there and it could be weird to go back now, so soon, and play against them. I really hope if we have to play Arsenal, it would be in a few years.”

Fàbregas was speaking to a number of Indonesian journalists during a recent video conference interview, organized by PT Kraft Foods Indonesia, one day after Barcelona saw off Valencia in the semifinal of the Copa Del Rey (Spain King’s Cup).

Fàbregas’ goal in the first half of the game and his assist to Xavi Hernandez were enough to put them through 3-1 on aggregate and into the finals to face Athletic Bilbao on May 25.

While Barça had smooth sailing in the Copa Del Rey, the Catalan giant is still in the second spot on the La Liga table, trailing their biggest contender, Real Madrid, by seven points.

Fàbregas said that he would try to do his best as his team takes on Osasuna in an away game showdown on Saturday.

“If we don’t win on Saturday, we cannot play or fight for the league, and so that means the future is not good, because Real Madrid is very strong,” he said.

“For me and for the team, what we want to do now is believe we can do it, and play game by game, see what happens in the end of the season.”

During the more than 30-minute interview, he talked about his new experience of finally being part of Barça’s first team after spending eight years at Arsenal.

After a long period of negotiations, Fàbregas finally signed a contract on Aug. 15 that ties him to his Barça for the next five seasons.

Fàbregas quickly adapted to the Spanish league, scoring nine goals this season, putting his name as the second top-scorer for his club, right behind Lionel Messi.

“I enjoyed many years in England and what I’m doing now is the same. Another kind of soccer, but I learned a lot. With each passing day, I enjoy it more and more. And hopefully we will win many things.”

Following his move from Arsenal, Fàbregas has also won three pieces of silverware: the Spanish Super Cup, European Super Cup and Club World Cup.

Fàbregas hailed his manager and his idol Josep “Pep” Guardiola as the key behind the spectacular huge success, putting high hopes that Guardiola would remain at Camp Nou. Guardiola reportedly has yet to renew his contract at Barça.

“We don’t know [the future of the coach]. Only he knows that. Hopefully he will sign a new contract. We believe he will soon,” Fàbregas said.

“And we want him to be with us for many years because we believe him. For us, he is so important that we cannot afford to lose him, especially now.”

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