CESC FABREGAS has revealed just how embarrassed Lionel Messi made him feel in training.
The two superstars, both aged 30, were teammates in the Barcelona youth set-up.
And one of them was distinctly more skilful than the other… no prizes for guessing who that was!
Fabregas, now back in the Premier League with Chelsea, recalled his first training session with the mercurial Argentine talent.
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He told Argentine television network TyC: “I had to defend against him and you know he’s going to the left, and he does, but he still makes me fall to the floor!
“It was on a one versus one exercise with a goalkeeper where one player has to run from the goal to defend while the other attacks.
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“I was confident and thought it impossible that this small boy does something; it will not be anything…
“He was a very shy boy, very, very small, skinny and we tried to give him a ball so he would open up and feel comfortable with us.
“But after my experience going against Messi I changed partners. I did not want to be embarrassed again.”
Fabregas, who left Barcelona for Arsenal in 2003 and rejoined them eight years later, the enjoyed three years playing along Messi in La Liga.
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And he often thinks to himself ‘if only Messi could play for Spain” – he wouldn’t have criticised so much at international level.
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Fabregas added: “It would have been phenomenal and maybe we would have more titles, but he has always felt very Argentine and I think his decision to play for his country seems perfect.
“It does not seem normal for him to be criticised so much in his country. I can not understand why, as it is where you should be most valued.
“Argentina has a very nice human group. I witnessed at Messi’s wedding that they get along very well. They can play a great role in the World Cup.”
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