Barca product Fabregas key to Arsenal hopes (News Feature)

By Ben James Feb 15, 2011, 9:29 GMT

London - So formidable is Barcelona's youth development that the chances are that on Wednesday their academy will have produced not merely seven of their own line-up, but the best player on Arsenal's.

Cesc Fabregas was 16 when he left Catalonia for London in 2003, since when he has become both Arsenal's iconic player and the subject of the most tedious transfer saga in modern history.

It used to be the English summer was characterised by the genteel sounds of cricket, the merry thwock of willow on leather, strangled appeals and polite applause.

For the last four years, though, it's been hard to hear anything beyond the endless will-he, won't-he tedium of Arsenal and Barcelona bickering over whether will return home or not.

Even Xavi was moved last week to break off from an otherwise splendidly entertaining interview in the Guardian - in which he came across as intelligent and enthusiastic, human almost - to say that he thought it was a matter of when not if Fabregas came home.

Fabegras won the penalty from which he scored the equalizer when the sides met at the Emirates last year, but it later transpired he had fractured his leg in the challenge that led to the spot-kick and he missed the return at the Camp Nou, which Barca won 4-1.

'It was a big blow for them last year to have to come here without him,' forward David Villa told the Independent.

'He is a fantastic player - one of the best in his position in the world. They have a lot of very good players who can hurt you but Cesc is their best without any question.'

Villa knows Fabregas will be trying to do to them what Xavi will be looking to do to Arsenal.

'Both teams play styles of football that people want to see,' he said.

'They look for the ball, they want to be in possession just as we do and with both sides wanting to dominate then it will be a fantastic game.

'You never know what fixture will be the most difficult game at this stage but it suits us to play a side that will come out and look for the ball and not just sit in their own half and wait for us.'

Although he was still a Valencia player last season, Villa does not think Barca have an advantage in having beaten Arsenal so comfortably last season.

'It works both ways,' he said. 'When it comes to preparing for the game we have the reference of last year's two games as well, and they have not changed a great deal.

'The key with these games between two sides with very similar styles is who has control of the ball the most.'

If Arsenal manage that, Fabregas will be key.

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