Fabregas: ‘Arsenal gave me everything’

CHELSEA midfielder Cesc Fabregas (right) will forever be grateful to Arsene Wenger and Arsenal.

The 29-year-old made more than 300 appearances for the Gunners, who travel to Stamford Bridge tomorrow seeking to end Chelsea’s 10-match winning run at home.

Fabregas was made captain of Arsenal aged 21 and spent eight years under Wenger at Highbury and the Emirates Stadium.

He rejoined Barcelona in 2011 before returning to England in 2014, signing for Chelsea when Wenger declined to take up an option on his former skipper.

The Spain playmaker insisted there were only fond memories, not bad blood, despite some Arsenal supporters turning on him for his move to Chelsea.

Fabregas said: “There’s many things said about me, about Arsenal.

“I don’t really care what people think about me any more. It’s just about what I feel towards them.

“Arsenal will always be the team that believed in me the most. I was a young kid, 16 years old, playing for Barcelona.

“Arsene Wenger, especially, and Arsenal Football Club, gave me everything.

“Without them I would not be a World Cup winner, a European Championship winner. And I would not have experienced all of this that I’m doing in my life.

“I will always grateful.” forever be

Chelsea won 13 successive Premier League games between losses at Arsenal in September and Tottenham last month.

And Fabregas and Eden Hazard will be l ooking to consolidate Chelsea’s place at the top of the table against Arsenal.

They lead second-placed Tottenham by nine points, with Arsenal behind Spurs on goal difference.

Hazard told f ormer Arsenal striker Thierry Henry the Gunners and Manchester United are Chelsea’s biggest title rivals.

And Henry then asked Hazard to appraise the differences between Chelsea head coach Antonio Conte and Jose Mourinho, the former Chelsea boss now in charge of United.

“Tactical training,” Hazard said. “We do more with Conte. We know exactly what to do on the pitch, where I have to go, the defenders know where they have to go. We know exactly what to do.

“With Mourinho it was just he put the system in place but we didn’t work a lot on it.”

Mourinho might point to the fact Chelsea’s fixture schedule allows for more tactical work, due to the absence of European football.

However, Mourinho is culpable for that after a miserable title defence last season.

Hazard, who has nine goals this season, seems to be enjoying playing without any defensive duties.

He added: “I just need to be ready for if we get the ball. Counter attack. It’s simple.”