Cesc: “I’m so happy that I try to disguise it sometimes

Cesc Fabregas couldn’t have started on a better note with FC Barcelona. He has won the Spanish Super Cup and the UEFA Super Cup with the club, playing a vital role in both the matches. Even his fortunes with the national team have changed as seen in the two goals that he scored in the friendly against Chile. Fabregas is riding high on the recent successes on the pitch and the joy of returning home. totalBarca brings to you the translation of Cesc Fabregas’s extensive interview to Spanish newspaper El Pais on September 5. The original can be found here:

When did you know your time at Arsenal was up?

I knew all along that last season was decisive. We (Arsenal) were in four competitions: the League Cup, the FA Cup, the Champions League and the Premier League, where we were second. In the end, we couldn’t win anything. But it’s not just because I won nothing. I had been thinking of returning to Barcelona for a long time and then Barca showed interest… To me, the only two options were moving to Barca or staying at Arsenal. I never thought of moving for money or any motivation other than returning home. I never even considered another option. I’d been receiving offers (from other clubs) since I was 18. 

Was any of those offers from Real Madrid?

It doesn’t matter. It’s not necessary to name clubs. But the truth is that I’ve had several offers ever since I was 18.

Did you feel kidnapped by Arsène Wenger?

People have a wrong image of him. If not for him, I wouldn’t be a Barcelona player now because I wouldn’t have started my career at 16 or played a Champions League Final at 18. I wouldn’t have been a captain at 20…Without him, who knows where I’d be right now? I surely wouldn’t be a Barca player now, because he helped me with the Arsenal board, who didn’t want to sell me at any price. He convinced them, he pressured them to lower the asking price. 

Was he convinced when you gave up a portion of your salary to allow Barca to reach the 34 million euros demanded by Arsenal?

No, he already knew my wish. 

Do you owe a debt to the Gunners?

I gave my all and that allows me to leave with a clean conscience. I couldn’t have done more. My stats over the past seven years are there for all to see. I think my individual performance was good. But as far as titles are concerned, I left with a bitter feeling. I couldn’t win the Premier League and I was very close on three occasions. In that sense, I would like to have done a bit more, but I couldn’t.

What do you take away from London? 

Many memories, the city… London will always be my city. I didn’t make great friendships on a social level, but I leave friends in the Arsenal locker room, like Rosicky or Carlos Vela, people who were and are a lot more than just teammates. And Wenger, of course. Without him, I’d be nothing. Not a World Cup champion, nothing.

Was it sadder to leave Arsenal or Barcelona back in 2003?

I was more immature when I left Barca, I was merely a boy back then. I didn’t think I’d ever reach Barcelona’s first team because back then things were very different. Just look at Andrés (Iniesta). He was 23 and he wasn’t a starter in the Paris final, although they only really start playing well when he came on to the pitch. I thought: “If Andrés doesn’t start, where would I be?”. I was a Juvenil, so I’d probably be in the Juvenil A team. When I left London, I had a much better perception of what was happening, what I was leaving behind and where I was going, and that made it a bit sadder.

How was the last day with Wenger?

I’ll treasure it forever. I had so many conversations with him… his words will live with me all my life. That last day… uff! I could barely talk. I got too emotional and couldn’t really say anything. I called him later, when I was calmer, and I thanked him for everything. He’s a 10 (out of 10), with all his faults and virtues, but what that man has given me is priceless.

What did England teach you?

Well… try to imagine. I was 16 years old, I was just a boy. Now I’m a young man. It might sound weird, but the most important thing I learnt was the English language. Never in my wildest dreams had I thought that one day I could be understood anywhere in the world. Also, I learnt how to overcome difficulties.

When you knew you were already a Barca player, what did you do?

I called my sister. I had promised her I would.

In Monaco, your grandmother told Barca TV that she had never seen you so happy. Not even when she took you her homemade soup to London?

Just imagine that! I’m so happy that I try to disguise it sometimes. I try to look serious, you know? Things can change pretty fast; today you’re the happiest man in the world, but in a month you might be going through a bad patch.

Did you reach an agreement with Barca two years ago?

No, I only reached an agreement with Barca after Arsenal and Barcelona reached a deal. But it wasn’t very hard. Before the deal was sealed between the clubs, there had been some talks, but nothing serious.

Is this what you expected?

No; so far, it has surpassed all my expectations. I don’t know what will happen hereafter, but the way things are going makes me motivated to continue working. I still have a lot to do in this team. I might have won two titles and scored some goals, but that doesn’t make me think that my work is done. People here expect you to start well, continue well and end well. Barcelona are one of the few teams that demand the best of you in each match, just like Real Madrid, Manchester United… I’m not satisfied. I want and I must give more to Barcelona.

 Tito Vilanova claims that Barca have not signed Cesc, the player who left at 16, but Fabregas, the captain of Arsenal FC.

Tito was my last coach at Barca and we won everything. I had a very good relationship with him and I look forward to share the same locker room with him again, as well as with Leo (Messi) and Gerard (Piqué). He’s right. Eight years have passed very quickly. I think of it now and it seems incredible. But it is obvious that I’m no longer the same player who left, the one who played in the cadet team.

Back then, did you already know Messi would be so great?

He was the best, but you can never know for sure. If anyone was going to reach the first team, it was him, that much was clear. He was the most talented. Technically, he had always been the best. Physically, he’s now very strong, but he used to be the smallest and that was even more apparent since we played against older players. He’s very smart. He takes advantage of every little thing. Sometimes it might look as if he has no character, but on the inside he’s a born winner who’s aware of everything around him.

What have you learnt football wise during your six years in the Premier League?

Lessons. The competitive spirit. Their football is faster and more direct than in La Liga, which is more tactical and disciplined, with more emphasis on a slow build-up. In England, people don’t think so much about the scoreline. You attack even when it’s not needed. The crowd doesn’t like you to hold back in any situation. Here in Spain, you need more positional awareness and control in order to break through. And the referees are more lenient, they allow more. Here, I saw a yellow card for not retreating from the wall, in England the ref would just have told me: “Come on Cesc, move.”.

Did they pronounce Cesc correctly?

They pronounce it better in England than they do here.

That’s why your shirt had Fabregas on it?

No, I used Fabregas in England because it was compulsory to use your surname in the back of the jersey, and I have decided to stay with Fabregas (instead of Cesc) at Barcelona.

Is it an advantage to have come through La Masia and learnt the Barcelona way of football?

No. I feel that I still have a lot to learn. This team is very well oiled and there are still a lot of things I need to learn, a lot of things I need to pick up. Especially in defense. I’d never seen a team so focused in the transition from attack to defense. Playing against Barca is very difficult, but playing at Barca isn’t easy either. That’s my challenge. I sincerely believe that at this point I’m still a bit of a liability on the pitch, but they’re so good that they cover for my mistakes and make it all look fine. I try to read their passes and take advantage of them in attack. I need to adapt to the team. Defensively, I still have a lot to learn.

What’s the first thing you’ve learnt at Barca?

That the hardest thing is to play it simple. You look at Messi, Iniesta, Xavi… It’s very hard to play in such a simple way. And it’s also very hard to pressure teams the way this team does.

The coaching staff is convinced that you can bring a lot to the team, even defensively. 

Me too. I’m lucky in a way: for four or five years, I was one of the players who covered most ground per match in the Champions League. That means I’ve become a very dynamic player, and I take advantage of that. But I feel that I still have a lot to learn. I’m 24 years old and people often talk about me as if I were 30.

Is Xavi right when he claims that the best thing about this Barca team is the training sessions?

Yes. It’s the most beautiful thing I’ve seen in my life. You can only hear the ball. Tac, tac, tac… The pressure of four players at the same time. I had never such a high level of training. The everyday training sessions are a lot better than the matches; I’d never seen anything like it.

Do people exaggerate when they say the atmosphere is exceptional?

I’ll just tell you that if we have to arrive at 10am, we’ll be there at 9:30am. Not just one player, but everybody. Besides, Piqué is around and he’s a great target for jokes, he can definitely take a joke very well. He surely brings a lot of life to the locker room.

What did Pep Guardiola tell you?

Nothing, nothing much. He only told me to work hard to gain my place in the squad.

Are you ready to accept whatever playing time you get and sit on the bench?

It’s obvious that only players like Xavi, Iniesta or Messi could complain about lack of minutes. And if they don’t complain… I have great respect for them, so I’ll just play when the coach decides it’s my turn.

After your first confrontation with Madrid…

Uff! It’s not time to talk about Madrid. Now it’s time to think of San Sebastian, Milan, Pamplona. I’m looking forward to visit the different stadiums in La Liga. I’ve only played at Camp Nou twice, and I only know the Bernabeu, El Madrigal, Mestalla… I don’t know… I‘m particularly looking forward to playing at San Mamés. I’ve always been told it has a very special atmosphere.

What did you want to be when you were little?

What I am now. My only dream has always been to play at Barcelona.

Fàbregas: “My best years are starting now”

Newly debuted FC Barcelona number 4 Cesc Fàbregas (24) gave his first interview to Barça TV today. Many questions were answered about topics such as his drawn out transfer from Arsenal FC, why “Fàbregas” instead of “Cesc” appears on the back of his shirt, and if his arrival signals the forthcoming retirement of midfield maestro Xavi Hernández (31). Ultimately, for Fàbregas, “the last months I’ve been under a lot of pressure. Mentally it’s really tiring, but it finally happened and I’m very happy to be back at Barça.”

Fàbregas first spoke of his transfer which consumed many months and caused a lot of stress for both clubs. Surprisingly, he took some responsibility for all the angst by saying, “it is partly my fault for having left. Not in my wildest dreams had I imagined that one day I would play for the Barça first team. Not as a child, nor playing with Arsenal had I thought I’d live a day like Monday [his presentation].” His reason for leaving the Barcelona youth system in 2003 at the age of 16 was because “I saw that I didn’t have any chance of getting into the first team and Xavi was very young at that time. Also there was Andres and some of the youth players who were far ahead of me, and I saw that I was well behind them. I thought it was funny that an English team like Arsenal were asking about me, and I was amazed that the first team manager, Arsene Wenger, cut his holidays short to come and see me. I was 16 and playing for Barça juniors. The offer they made me was brutal.”

After being away from Barcelona for eight years, Fàbregas admitted that “the easiest thing would have been to stay at Arsenal. I’m the captain, playing every game. We are always in the Champions League, always fighting for titles. For all that, and the tough competition here, perhaps now might be the worst time to return to Barça. It’s going to be really tough to make the starting 11, but I needed a new challenge in my life. I thought I’d stagnated a bit, and needed a change of scenery. I needed a special motivation to bring the best out of myself.”

And so, he decided to come home, but some elements of that 16 year old still remain. “I think that Cesc has changed very little. I have improved in some ways, but I’ve always been willing to work hard, and that’s what’s helped me to improve every day. I am always keen to learn. It’s a mistake to think you know it all or you are better than others.” Fàbregas hopes his signing can be considered one important for the present and future of Barcelona, assuring “I’ll work hard to make it happen. I’m very young and the best years of my football career are beginning now, and in the future. I still have a lot to learn and hope to mature with Barça for many years to come.”

Memories of his time at Arsenal will always stay with him, though picking just one that stands out is “very complicated, but I guess I’ll remember my debut the most. It was the day when I least expected it. I thought I would make the squad and that’s it, and suddenly there I was in the starting 11, and my family was in the stands. It was a really spectacular day.” He’ll miss his adopted city London as well, but at least he still has his grandmother’s superior crayfish. “I’ll miss the London banter, but there’s nothing to compare with my grandmother’s crayfish. They are the best.”

Much of Fàbregas’ transfer was due to the hard work of the two club coaches, Arsène Wenger and Pep Guardiola. On Wenger, Fàbregas thinks “the image of Wenger here is a bit mistaken. If I’m here today it’s, at a high percentage, thanks to him. He makes the decisions, and told me I could come. It’s he who took the lead in the negotiations. Thanks to Wenger I am now a Barça player.” As for Guardiola, Fàbregas knows he was “the key. I know I can learn a lot from Pep and my teammates. I know they’ll bring the best out of me. On top of that there are many tactical and technical aspects that will make me better in this team.”

Having the opportunity to play for his childhood idol is a dream come true for Fàbregas, though he is sure he has not bettered Guardiola’s fast thinking on the pitch just yet. “Not at all! There are also two before me who think very fast, like Xavi and Andrés, and they’ve demonstrated that fact. They are 2 stars on and off the field. Pep has always been a reference for me, but now they are both the benchmark.”

It wasn’t only Guardiola’s playing skills that drew Fàbregas to him, it also had to do with a kind gesture Guardiola made involving a personally signed shirt that read “you’ll be the Barça number ’4′.” His “parents separated when I was 13 or 14. I went to play in a tournament in Valladolid or Italy, I don’t remember very well. I was a bit depressed about the separation. I was having a bad time, and my manager, Rodolf Borrell, a fantastic person, came and told me that he’d heard that he was going to give me this shirt. It’s a great coincidence, an anecdote. My father has kept the shirt. I’ll treasure it forever.”

Next, Fàbregas commented on his new teammates, though most he had played with before, including the ’87 generation of Barcelona’s youth squads which he, defender Gerard Piqué (24), and forward Lionel Messi (24) were part of. However, discussions of once playing for the first team together were scarce. “We played some very good championships with that team and we were very together. They were the best years of my life. But talking about it, no we didn’t. I don’t think that any of the three of us ever imagined that one day we’d play together in the first team.”

Fàbregas also thinks that playing with his two best friends Piqué and captain Carles Puyol (33) is “special. It’s what I really wanted. They are great friends and I have other great friends in this dressing room. But it’s also true that I lived with them via the national team in European Championships and World Cups. For me it will be a brutal experience, and they’ll certainly help to get the best out of me.” Though he hasn’t known Puyol as long as Piqué, he says, “for me Carles is an amazing person. Last year in the World Cup I was having a really bad time, and he was in my room every day encouraging me. And finally, I came on in the World Cup Final, it all ended well and he said to me ‘do you see that you have to have more confidence in yourself?’. He’s a captain on and off the field, due to his personality and his humility. I’ve met very few people like him in football.”

Not to worry, though the trio of terror now share a dressing room, it won’t mean the end of endless Twitter conversations and the “oh oh!! moc moooooc!” fans have come to love. “Certainly not. Now we’ll do it more often (laughs)!”

With the addition of Fàbregas, Barcelona’s midfield may be considered the best in the world, with the likes of Xavi, Andrés Iniesta (27), and Thiago Alcântara (20) just to name a few. But Fàbregas stays conservative, answering, “time will tell, depending on results and performances on the pitch. Thiago and myself have come this year, hopefully to offer more quality, and more competition. Together we’ll be a great group. It doesn’t matter whether or not it’s the best ever. The most important thing is that Barça continues performing at the top level, keeps winning titles, and that the fans enjoy it.”

All of this power in the midfield brings up concerns over playing time, but Fàbregas believes every player will find their place. “We are players that understand football the same way, yet we’re quite different. More than people think. Together we make a very good combination and at a footballing level that’s great, but we have to prove that on the pitch. We understand football the same way, but we all have different characteristics, which might just make us a very special group.”

Xavi lovers everywhere are also wary that Fàbregas will take his place, much like Xavi himself took over for Guardiola. Fàbregas, though, doesn’t know if he is Xavi’s heir. “I think that Xavi still has some years left in him, huh! He does things you wouldn’t believe! I haven’t come to retire Xavi. I came here to play with Xavi, to compete with Xavi, and to win with Xavi. What I’m saying about Xavi also goes for Andres and Thiago. I think altogether we make a very good group. I know what we’ll do. With the great group we are, we’ll do great things together.”

Will this great group of midfielders help aid Barcelona to continue playing their unique, flowing style and win titles? “We’ll try but it’ll be difficult. There are teams like Madrid, who have strengthened their team, who’ll want to beat us, and don’t only want to win the League but also want to win the Champions League. There’ll also be Manchester United, Inter, etc. up against us. We’ll have to be very careful, therefore, be very disciplined and work to maximum capacity. We can’t relax. If you relax too much that’s when the problems start.”

Fàbregas also finally answers the question of the name on the back of his shirt, and it’s not because some people have a hard time pronouncing it. “No, it’s not because of that. I let everyone call me what they want. I can’t do anything about it, there’s no remedy. At least I know they’re talking to me. It doesn’t matter. It’s a funny story and nothing more.” The real reason is he “would normally wear the shirt with Cesc, but it’s what I wanted and it’s not that I’m superstitious. In England I had to put Fabregas because the player’s surname has to be displayed and when I made my debut with the national team, they put Cesc on the back and things didn’t go so smoothly. But then, they changed it to Fabregas and we won the European Championships and World Cup. Barça were going to put Cesc on the shirt, but I thought ‘if everything has gone well with Fabregas, then we should continue with Fabregas and carry on winning trophies.”

The ‘One That Got Away’ is finally back where he belongs, where Barcelona “will get the best out of me.”

Messi, Cesc and Piqué together again

Argentinian journalist Jorge López, from Diario Olé, remembered his visit to FC Barcelona’s youth academy, La Masía, in 2003. Back then the club’s Cadete B team were up against Espanyol in their quest to win the league. Lionel Messi, Cesc Fàbregas and Gerard Piqué were part of that squad. López was watching the game as he had heard of the genius of Messi, but Messi was kicked by a rival and ended up with his cheekbone broken.  He nearly passed out and a kid named Cesc Fàbregas came in to replace him.

Following the game, López learned that both teams would face each other again, this time for the title of Copa Catalunya. Messi was told he couldn’t play for three weeks. But 15-year-old Messi went up to his coach and requested that he be allowed to play the game. And so he did, only a week after having his cheekbone broken: he wore a mask (seen in the picture) that was handed over to him by Puyol, who had been suffering from a similar injury. But the mask was too big for Messi, and he couldn’t see very well. So he took it off and kept on playing. He scored two goals in five minutes and the third one was scored by Piqué. That team, called the Dream Team, won three titles that year and didn’t lose a single point.

But before any of the three could be promoted, Fabregas moved to London, Piqué to Manchester and Messi stayed on, probably convinced of being reunited with them some day. Nine years later, the players, who played in their early teens for Barca, were reunited and celebrated together their first title, the Spanish Super Cup, against Madrid.

Player Reactions: FC Barcelona 3-2 Real Madrid

Read what FC Barcelona players had to say after an intense match that saw Barca lift its first trophy of 2011-12 – the Spanish Super Cup. We’ve also thrown in comments made by Real Madrid players.

Xavi“Madrid’s image was shameful. The pictures speak for themselves … We believe in footballing justice and justice was done today.”

Andres Iniesta“I am very happy about winning this title and that our effort was awarded with it. I felt great every time I play, we have been together as a team for a long time, and we try to get our level up every year. We intend to improve ourselves, to get better with time, so we need the new guys to come here and add new things to our game. New players with that approach are great for our team.”

Fabregas
“I am very happy. But I have to carry on learning more, and trying to win more titles.

“I have known Messi since I was 13. We already get on well. And that’s all thanks to him. Everybody gets on well with him. He is the best in the world. I have never played with somebody like him and I think I never will.  So I am going to try to have fun and learn from him.   

“It’s a great moment especially against Real Madrid. It’s the biggest derby in the world and I am very happy to be a part of it.

“This is very competitive football, we are talking about the two best clubs in the world and every team wants to win. This is normal in football that a situation [ Marcelo's vicious tackle on him that led to the brawl] like this can happen.

“It’s always good to start well, with positive situations like this. I am very happy. They had just scored when I went into the pitch and I was just thinking in helping my team.”

Real Madrid

Sergio Ramos“We played very well in both games and leave with our heads held high.

“We played a serious game here and at home. We didn’t win the title, but we gave a great performance. Barcelona were only better in efficiency because they capitalised more on their chances. Real Madrid made a great impression and showcased great attitude, so no one can reproach us on anything.

“Games like these, in which titles are at stake, always give way to nerves and tension. Whatever happens on the pitch stays on the pitch. I don’t want to do any comparisons. We are humble and hard working, and we’re here to take Real Madrid to the very top.

“The season is very long and we’re on the right path. We gradually get to know our opponents better and prepare for matches in specific ways.

“We apologise to our supporters for not bringing the title back to them. We hope they continue to support us.”

Iker Casillas
“It’s obvious there’s always conflict. Marcelo’s tackle wasn’t that harsh. A draw would have been more fair. We said a long time ago what we think about the performances of referees. I nevertheless wish to congratulate the victor.”

Xabi Alonso
“It’s a shame. We would be happier if we had won. It didn’t happen, but the game was intense and even. We had it under control, but we lacked luck and better aim in the second half. We’re obviously not happy, but we have good sensations. We played two excellent games against Barcelona and we congratulate them for their victory. This has only just started; there are nine months left in the season.

“I was far away and didn’t see what happened at the end of the match, but it was obvious to me that tension increased after Marcelo saw the red card. The images will speak for themselves.”