MARCH 13, 2018 – Chelsea midfield strongman, Cesc Fabregas has given an insight as to how Chelsea will qualify ahead of Barcelona in their second leg, round of 16 Champions League tie in Camp Nou.
In an exclusive interview with the Spanish outfit Marca, Fabregas revealed that playing against his former teammates like Lionel Messi and Gerard Pique should motivate him to give the kind of performance that would ensure Chelsea’s qualification into the Champions League Quarter Final.
“Yes, it’s difficult as the Camp Nou is very big and you have to run a lot, but we’ll work together. The key is to take advantage of our opportunities. We have to play our game but do damage when possible. I’ve never trained tactically as much as I have at Chelsea and it shows on the pitch”
The former Arsenal captain has described his return to Camp Nou as a “mix of desire and mystery”, as he has not played competitive football at Barcelona since his departure in 2014. The Spanish midfielder also intends to stop Lionel Messi in the tie.
“If I am lucky enough to play, it’s true that we are positioned in nearby areas of the pitch, stopping him will be difficult but I will try to do everything possible so that he feels uncomfortable and can’t put together a perfect performance”, he said.
Fabregas came off in the 84th minute in Chelsea’s 1-1 draw against his former side at the Stamford Bridge three weeks ago. The Spanish midfielder returned to his boyhood club in 2011 after spending 8 years at Arsenal. He later signed for Chelsea in the summer of 2014.
Barcelona has not lost any game at home in all competitions since the start of the 2017/2018 season. The Blues will be facing a herculean task when they line-up against the Catalan giants on Wednesday.
Chelsea needs to avoid a goalless draw or a total defeat at Barcelona to ensure their qualification into the 2017/2018 UCL quarter-final. Chelsea edged past Barcelona at the 2012 Champions League semi-final, playing a 2-2 draw at the Camp Nou, a victory that eventually led the English Champions to their first Champions League title.
