Fabregas Assisting Chelsea In Their Pursuit Of The Title
Personal information
Full name: Francesc Fabregas Soler
Date of birth: 4 May 1987
Age: 27
Place of birth: Arenys de Mar, Spain
Height: 1.79 m (5 ft 10 1⁄2 in)
Playing position: Midfielder
Club information
Current team: Chelsea
Number: 4
Youth career
1995–1997 Mataro
1997–2003 Barcelona
2003 Arsenal
Senior career
2003–2011 Arsenal 303 Appearances, 57 goals
2011–2014 Barcelona 151 Appearances, 42 goals
2014– Chelsea 5 Appearances, 0 goals
National team
2002–2003 Spain U16 8 Appearances, 0 goals
2003–2004 Spain U17 14 Appearances, 7 goals
2005 Spain U20 5 Appearances, 0 goals
2004–2005 Spain U21 12 Appearances, 8 goals
2006– Spain 92 Appearances, 13 goals
2004– Catalonia 3 Appearances, 0 goals
Cesc Fabregas has made Premier League history after becoming the first player to assist a goal in six consecutive games.
The Chelsea midfielder’s run follows on from his spell with Arsenal, when he set up goals in his final two top-flight games for the Gunners before departing for Barcelona in 2011.
Fabregas broke the record with two assists for Diego Costa in the Blues’ 4-2 victory over Swansea which keeps them top of the fledgling Premier League table.
He also assisted Costa for goals against Everton and Hazard versus Leicester as he proves himself as an inspired piece of business by Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho.
And the Spaniard had started the season in flying form, laying on goals for Andre Schurrle and Branislav Ivanovic on the opening weekend of the season at Burnley.
Before Fabregas’ sparkling performance against the Swans he had been one of six players with assists in five consecutive Premier League appearances.
But Chelsea’s new hero moves ahead of Darren Anderton, Gianfranco Zola, Ryan Giggs, Thierry Henry and Antonio Valencia to set a new benchmark.
Fabregas signed for Chelsea from Barcelona on 12 June 2014, putting pen to paper on a five-year contract, taking the number 4 shirt.
Comfortable operating as an attacking midfielder, he can also perform in a deeper role, and on the international stage he has been used in wide areas, as a second striker or, on occasions, as a ‘false no.9’.
Fabregas arrived at Stamford Bridge following a three-year spell at Barcelona during which he helped the Catalan club win the La Liga title, Copa del Rey, Spanish Super Cup, UEFA Super Cup and FIFA Club World Cup.
He is no stranger to the Premier League having enjoyed an eight-year spell with Arsenal prior to moving to Camp Nou.
His time in north London was an important period in his development, during which he made the transition from being a young, inexperienced player to arguably the most important member of Arsenal’s squad.
However, with some of the biggest clubs in Europe chasing his signature, his departure from the Emirates was almost inevitable, and so it proved when he returned to the club that had nurtured him.
Born near Barcelona, Fabregas joined the Barca academy at the age of 10 but having flourished in their youth sides, he left his boyhood club and moved to Arsenal in 2003 at the age of 16.
With his first season in England one of adaptation, he began to make his mark during the following campaign, and at the end of the season he started the FA Cup final as Arsenal beat Manchester United on penalties in Cardiff.
Patrick Vieira’s departure to Juventus afforded Fabregas the opportunity to establish himself as a regular in midfield and he grabbed it with both hands, shining en route to the Champions League final in 2006 where Arsenal were beaten by Barcelona.
At the end of the 2006/07 season he was nominated for both the PFA Player of the Year and Young Player of the Year awards as well as being named in the 2006 UEFA Team of the Year.
Aged 20, he was again nominated for both PFA awards at the end of the following campaign, winning the Young Player of the Year prize, as well as being named in the Premier League Team of the Season.
In 2008 Fabregas took on the Arsenal captaincy and, buoyed by the responsibility, added goals to his game on a consistent basis before moving back to Barcelona in the summer of 2011.
After making his debut in the Spanish Super Cup against Real Madrid, he scored his first goal for the Barca first team in a UEFA Super Cup victory against Porto, before netting on his La Liga debut, a 5-0 win over Villarreal.
He later scored six goals in a four-game period, including one in a 3-1 victory away at Real Madrid, as well as finding the target in the FIFA World Club Cup final, a 4-0 win over Santos.
Fabregas featured in both legs of the 2012 Champions League semi-final against Chelsea, when the Blues came out on top to secure a place in the Munich final, and he scored his first Barcelona hat-trick the following season against Mallorca, Barca finishing that campaign as champions of La Liga.
There was little doubt Fabregas had played a pivotal part in their success with 11 goals to his name. His third and final season at Barcelona promised much for long spells but ultimately Gerardo Martino’s side ended the season with the Spanish Super Cup to their name.
Fabregas started both legs of the Champions League quarter-final as Barcelona were beaten 2-1 on aggregate by Atletico Madrid, and played an hour of the Copa del Rey final, a 2-1 defeat against Real Madrid. He also started the La Liga title decider against Atletico before being replaced by Xavi with 13 minutes left to play, his final appearance for the club.
At international level, Fabregas has represented Spain at every major tournament since the 2006 World Cup when he was just 19, winning three trophies along the way.
Fabregas completed his move to Stamford Bridge ahead of the 2014 World Cup finals in Brazil, but it was a tournament which ended in disappointment for the holders.
A versatile, technically gifted midfielder, Fabregas has acquired a wealth of experience from playing in two of the strongest leagues in Europe and representing the most successful Spain international side of all time.
This experience has already proven priceless for Chelsea and the Spanish international still has plenty to show off.