GdS: ‘San Siro exam’ – Fabregas hoping for big scalp amid Milan’s admiration | OneFootball

Cesc Fabregas will face AC Milan with Como this evening hoping to beat them, but in the future the situation could be very different.

As La Gazzetta dello Sport (seen below) writes this morning, there is a past, present and future between Fabregas and Milan. As a player, the midfield was close to joining the Rossoneri as he reveled in his pre-match press conference.

“I spoke with Milan in 2016, I was 29 years old and I was at the height of my strength. But then I stayed at Chelsea, I wanted to show Conte that I could play and win in his system too,” he said. Cesc was right: the Blues won the Premier League, and he got five goals plus 12 assists in 29 games.

Even before – when he was still at Arsenal – he had stated: “If I had to play in Serie A, my first choice would be Milan.” In Italy he now coaches just up the road from Milano, and in the summer the paths could finally converge.

A repeated intertwining

Beyond the sliding doors of the mercato, the paths of Fabregas and the Rossoneri have often intertwined in the years in which the former Spain midfielder lit up Europe with the shirts of big clubs like Arsenal and Barcelona.

For example, Cesc’s first time at San Siro was one to remember. Winter 2008, Champions League round of 16, Milan and Arsenal locked in a 0-0 draw after 174 minutes of battle between the first leg in London and the return leg in Italy.

The one who broke the balance was Fabregas, who at a certain point took the ball in midfield, advanced and from 30 mtres unleashed a poisonous shot that Kalac could not stop. In the final minutes Adebayor doubled the score: Gunners ahead and the European champions eliminated.

The Catalan-born playmaker left England in 2011 to return to Barcelona and his Champions League debut with the Blaugrana jersey was at the Camp Nou against the Rossoneri. It was the night of Pato’s fantastic run, but it ended 2-2.

After the two meetings in the group stage (Barça won the return leg at San Siro, 3-2), the two teams also met in the quarter-finals. Fabregas remained on the bench in the 0-0 draw in Milan and participated as a starter in the 3-1 victory in Catalonia.

The following year, an encore in the round of 16, Cesc lost for the first time against Milan, 2-0 at San Siro (Boateng and Muntari with the goals), but then the situation turned around in Barcelona as they won 4-0.

In 2013-14 came the most recent meetings, in the group stage: 1-1 at San Siro and a 3-1 victory in the return games (an assist for Fabgreas). Then Milan left the circle of noble Europe for years. And the Rossoneri path never crossed that of Fabregas again. Up to the present day.

A showcase

Today, Fabregas will sit on the bench at San Siro for the second time as a coach. The first time, on December 23, he made a good impression, but was defeated 2-0 by Inter. This time Fabregas would also like some points, in addition to the compliments.

His Como is sailing in calm waters, but not yet completely safe. And then – after the victories over Roma, Fiorentina and Napoli – adding another illustrious victim would further increase the general consideration for the coach.

And among those who particularly respect him, there is Milan. So much so that Fabregas is one of the possible names for the post-Conceiçao era. If that happens, Cesc can make another phone call to Stefano Pioli to get some advice on Milanello and the surrounding area.

Last season, in fact, he called the then Rossoneri coach to invite him to dinner and discuss their respective football ideas. Today, in the meantime, Fabregas has the opportunity to show off to everyone at San Siro.