Chelsea's Cesc Fabregas Admits He's Unsure If He'd Celebrate Against Barcelona in Champions League
Chelsea midfielder Cesc Fabregas is looking forward to the Blues' second leg Champions League tie against Barcelona on Wednesday, but admitted that he doesn't know whether he'll celebrate should he score against his former side and 'friends'.
Chelsea head to the Camp Nou with a slight disadvantage having conceded an away goal in the 1-1 reverse fixture at Stamford Bridge.
Willian gave the hosts the lead early in the second-half with a low driven finish from the edge of the box, but Lionel Messi took advantage of a defensive mix-up to equalise for the visitors with his first goal in nine Champions League games against the Premier League holders.
Speaking ahead of Wednesday's last-16 encounter, Fabregas, who came through Barca's La Masia academy, told Marca: “I am motivated, I have good feelings. I don’t mind playing against my past, against my friends. As I said I am really motivated I want nobody to doubt that I want the best for my current club.”
“My return in Barcelona is not important. The game between Chelsea and Barça is all that matters.
"I don’t know if I’d celebrate a goal against my former team. It’s a feeling you have in a determined moment, you can’t decide before," he revealed. "I can’t say I am not going to celebrate a goal but you never know what can happen."
Fabregas left La Masia to join Arsenal's academy in 2003. The Spanish international made 212 appearances for the North London club before he made a return to Catalonia in 2011.
The 30-year-old then spent three years with Barca and made 96 appearances until he was signed by Chelsea in 2014.