By Yusuf Mutiu
Fabregas had a deep connection with Barcelona where he graduated as one of the breakout stars in the early 2000s at the famous La Masia Academy, before his eventual return to the Catalan as a senior player under Pep Guardiola, but the midfield maestro has revealed that his favorite manager was Jose Mourinho whom he also sees as a friend.
The Tottenham boss was in charge of Real Madrid while Fabregas was playing for Pep Guardiola’s Barcelona, where a fierce rivalry was always on show. Yet, the pair would later meet at West London where the former Arsenal star struck a great partnership with Jose “Mourinho was the one who inspired me the most to leave Barcelona,” Fabregas told Tot Costa.
“He told me that we had our spats on the pitch when he was at Chelsea and I was at Arsenal and then when he was coaching Real Madrid and I was at Barcelona, but that for him it all ended there, and he told me about his project. I prioritised the professional aspect and today I continue to write with him and consider him a friend, he helped me a lot at the time and maybe with him I played one of my best seasons.
“With Guardiola, we have not spoken again. There are things that happened that I do not have to talk about. “He was my idol growing up, perhaps he is the person from whom I have learned the most, as a player, as an idol and later as a coach and that’s it.” Leo Messi is one of Cesc’s best friends in the game, and the Monaco midfielder gave his thoughts on the Argentine’s situation.
“I don’t know what else can be asked of Messi after so many years of giving so much,” he stated. “You may give a lot, but in the end they will only value the latter. I saw people from the club who tried to hurt him, but as a Barcelona fan I am grateful that he is staying at Barcelona. “Does he feel lonely? I don’t think so. He has been through many groups and he’s certainly not alone, although it is true that Luis [Suarez] was a support for him.”
