Fabregas 'delighted' he left Barca

Thursday, 30, Mar 2006 09:35

Cesc Fabregas says Arsenal's latest Champions League performances prove that he was right to leave Barcelona.

The young Arsenal star left the Catalan club when he was just 16 years old and many felt he was too young to adapt to a new country.

Fabregas' brilliant performance at Highbury on Tuesday against Juventus has won plaudits across Europe and the midfielder believes his progress has proved that the transfer was best for his career.

The Spaniard was just nine years old when Patrick Vieira moved to Highbury and now he has emerged from his shadow to dominate the Arsenal midfield at just 18.

Fabregas said: "I am really happy to have made that decision when I was so young. So many people have believed in me so it's great.

"In the last few weeks we have won games and done well and it reflects well on a player individually, but I don't think that's fair. It's the team. I am getting better. I feel stronger in training and I am playing better but it is also because the team is playing well. We are young and improving a lot as a team."

Fabregas has made 69 appearances for the Gunners since his free transfer in 2003, he had not played a single game in the senior Barcelona team.