Fabregas glad he flew the nest

A UEFA Champions League finalist aged just 19, Cesc Fabregas has no regrets about leaving FC Barcelona for Arsenal FC in 2003.

Baptism of fire
The teenager has been propelled into the big time this season, playing all 12 of Arsenal's games en route to the final and has been rewarded with a place in Spain's FIFA World Cup squad. Yet destiny has dealt him an odd card as he faces his old side in the UEFA Champions League showpiece. "It feels like a fairy tale for me to be playing Barcelona," he said. "I spent six years there, I learnt a lot and I have a lot of friends there - not just my team-mates but my coaches as well - so it will be really special for me. But I know what I want and that's to win for Arsenal."

Unfriendly neighbours
A recent trip home to Catalonia served as a reminder of the level of feeling around the game. "My hometown is a small town and they're Barcelona fans so some people didn't wish me luck when I was back last week," he said, adding of the final: "If they whistle at me I don't know how I will react. I'm from the area and I can tell you the pressure is very high. They've been trying to win the European Cup since 1992 and they've lost three finals. But it's the same for us - it's our first time so if we can make it one final, one victory, that will be the best thing for Arsenal."

Hard schooling
Fabregas was 16 when he moved to Highbury and he was not given an easy ride as he was immediately taken to train with the first team. However, the alternative back at Barça was - for Fabregas - worse. "Barcelona never pushed me up, even one or two years, to help me mature and play against older people and that's why I thought the best decision was to come here," he explained. "I want to work hard and we weren't doing that [at Barcelona] - we were winning 20-0 or 30-0 every weekend."

Missionary zeal
The sheer pace and physical power of the Premiership marked a dramatic contrast to the football Fabregas was used to at the Camp Nou, but having taken the knocks in the last few years and toughened up, he talks about his introduction to English football with missionary zeal. "If you want to be a better, more complete player you have to play in the English league because you have to work hard and sometimes you don't touch the ball for five minutes," he said. "You have to be patient and wait for your chance, that doesn't happen in other leagues.

Calculated sacrifices
"I have made a lot of sacrifices to be a first-team player but if you want to achieve things you have to put in a lot of effort and miss out on other things. I've had so many good things happen to me in a short space of time that I sometimes ask myself: 'Is this all for real?' Thankfully it is."