Let’s recall exactly how Cesc Fabregas scored from a spot-kick for Arsenal against Barcelona with an injured leg.
Cesc Fabregas has proven time and time again that he is capable of providing match-winning performances. If you want to put the Spaniard somewhere, put him treasured on the top-shelf of the best midfielders in the Premier League. And ten years ago, Fabregas was enjoying the best time of his career in north London at Arsenal. During the season 2009-10, the Spanish playmaker displayed eye-catching performances. As a matter of fact, that was the time when he was on Barcelona’s radar with 19 goals and 20 assists to his name.
Moreover, Cesc also won a spot in the PFA Team of the Year around that time. Flashback – the Gunners were drawn against the Catalan giants in the quarter-finals of the 2010 Champions League. Zlatan Ibrahimovic put Pep Guardiola’s side in front with his brace, and Theo Walcott pulled one back for Arsene Wenger’s men. Late in the game, Fabregas bagged an equaliser from the penalty spot after being fouled by Carles Puyol. Although this goal might not appear to be one of his remarkable goals, it has a special meaning for a mind-blowing reason.
How did he manage to pull this off?
Fabregas spoke with ESPN about his goal against his boyhood club: “My leg is broken – and I feel broken too…When Carles Puyol fouled me to concede the penalty all I could think about was to grab the ball put it on the penalty spot. And hit it as hard as I could. The adrenalin must have been flowing through me so strongly. Because I didn’t feel any pain as I smashed the ball past Victor Valdes. But as soon as I ran to collect the ball to take it back to the centre-spot I was in agony.”
“I had been dreaming of playing for Arsenal at the Nou Camp. It’s all part of the magic of us being drawn against Barcelona. I’ve never disguised how special the club is to me. And I desperately wanted to be there and give a performance fit for such a wonderful stadium. Some people think I may have even broken the leg against Birmingham a week earlier. And, to be honest, I just don’t know. Yes, it’s exactly the same spot but I didn’t go into the game against Barcelona thinking ‘My leg’s broken’.”
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