Cesc could play his third match against Real Madrid on Wednesday is picked by Pep Guardiola. With Arsenal, he played them in the Champions League of 2005/06.
Road to Paris
The game was the first knockout match of a run that would take the Gunners to Paris, where Cesc
faced Barça, his boyhood club. Barça won the final 2-1, and Cesc played the first 75 minutes before
being substituted by Flamini. That was the first of games in which Arsenal faced Barça before Cesc
returned to the Catalan capital.
Madrid fans do not have fond memories of their last encounter with Cesc Fàbregas. The Catalan last
faced them as an Arsenal player in the round of sixteen of the Champions League of 2005/06, when
Wenger’s side got the better of López Caro’s, and the young 18 year old was
outstanding.
Ovation from Santiago Bernabéu
On February 21, 2006, Cesc played his first ever professional match on Spanish soil
at the Santiago Bernabéu, and what a cracking debut it was! Arsenal won 1-0, with Cesc and Henry
performing brilliantly.
It was the Frenchman who scored the only goal of the game in which Cesc’s assists
coupled with Henry’s penetrating runs struck fear into the hearts of the Bernabéu faithful.
Cesc was so good that when he was substituted in the 89th minute by Song, the Madrid fans
applauded him off the field.
Highbury decides
Three weeks later, on March 8, 2006, Cesc was back in the Arsenal side at Highbury,
where he was once again on top form in a game saw the Londoners through to the quarter finals.
Showing remarkable maturity, he played a more attacking role and of his many chances, one hit the
post.
The game ended 0-0, but confirmed Cesc Fàbregas’ status as one of the most promising
midfielders in Europe.