Chelsea midfielder Cesc Fabregas has admitted he sees Arsene Wenger as a ‘father’ but has revealed the manager he loves the most and it’s not his current manager Antonio Conte or the manager who took him back to his hometown club Barcelona, Pep Guardiola.
The ageing midfielder is one of the most respected players in world football for his pure skill on the ball and his decent life off the pitch.
When Goal caught up with him ahead of the FA Cup final against old foe Manchester United, managed by old friend Jose Mourinho, Fabregas revealed his affections for the manager in the opposition dug out.
Mourinho was the manager who brought Fabregas to Chelsea in 2014 along with Diego Costa and Felipe Luis who also arrived from Atletico Madrid, and instantly won the Premier League title before suffering a forgettable season, the year after.
The Spain international wants to get one over his former manager this weekend, but maintains the Portuguese is the manager he has connected the most with aside Wenger.
“No, especially in the last two years, we played many games against them and he has changed the system many times,” Fabregas said at Cobham Training Ground. “I am sure he will change something again on Saturday.
I love him. I always say that. I owe him a lot because he brought me here, I will always remember that. My first year here, Arsene [Wenger] had always treated me like a son, but the closest anyone has been to him was Jose. The way he treated me, the way he made me feel, how he let me be a leader of the team from day one.
This was fantastic and in all the four years since I joined Chelsea, that will always stay with me. It [this experience] is thanks to him. Our history of what happened between us – I played for Arsenal and him at Chelsea, Barcelona and him with Real Madrid. We were confronting each other, but then we humbled ourselves and started a good relationship. This is very nice but hopefully it will not be his day and Chelsea can win.”
Cesc Fabregas, Goal
