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.
Which 4⃣ teams will complete the quarter-final line-up? 🤔#UCL pic.twitter.com/yUeA0hITB8
— UEFA Champions League (@ChampionsLeague) March 12, 2018
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."
📊 | Most through balls completed In Europe's top 5 leagues since 2012:
— Barca Universal (@BarcaUniversal) March 10, 2018
Leo Messi (109)
Cesc Fabregas (77)
Francesco Totti (70)
David Silva (64)
[Via Squawka]pic.twitter.com/Q2Wm9D5Txk
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.