Barcelona are Chelsea`s next opponents and ahead of the huge Champions League tie and we`re starting our coverage with renewed vigour.
In what will be an on-going series, we`re going to focus on those players who have played for both Chelsea and Barcelona.
Opening the series, I`ve selected two individuals who have graced the midfield of two of the biggest clubs in Europe.
The two individuals I`ve selected are – Emmanuel Petit and Cesc Fabregas
Both are hugely talented players who performed on both the domestic and international stages accumulating silverware during their careers.
Emmanuel Petit – Mini Fact File
Full Name – Emmanuel Laurent Petit
Date of Birth – 22 September 1970
Place of Birth – Dieppe, France
Height – Six Feet One Inch
Position – Midfield
Youth Career – Arques-la-Bataille
Clubs – Monaco, Arsenal, Barcelona, Chelsea.
International Honours – France
Emmanuel Petit, a French international midfielder, carved out a reputation as a world-class midfielder with Arsenal, where his partnership with Patrick Vieira made the duo one of the best midfield partnerships in the top-flight of English football.
Whilst with Arsenal, Petit won the double of Premier League and the FA Cup in his first season. Having signed for the Gunners for £2.1 million in 1997, Petit remained with the North London club until 2000 when he was sold to Barcelona for a fee of £7 million.
Petit`s Barcelona career lasted until the following summer when he signed for Chelsea Football Club for a fee of £7.5 million, ending what was a disappointing period of his career with the Catalan giants.
During his first season with Chelsea, Petit was part of the Chelsea side that reached the FA Cup Final but whom lost 2-0 to his former club, Arsenal.
His second season saw him form an impressive midfield partnership with Frank Lampard and Petit was part of the side that beat Liverpool, in what was described as the richest game of the season, with the winners qualify for the financially lucrative Champions League.
A third season at Chelsea was blighted by injuries and he was released on a free transfer in the summer of 2004.
Cesc Fabregas – Mini Fact File
Full Name – Francesc Fàbregas Soler
Date of Birth – 4 May 1987
Place of Birth – Arenys de Mar, Spain
Height – Five Feet Eleven Inches
Position – Midfield
Youth Career – Mataro, Barcelona, Arsenal
Clubs – Arsenal, Barcelona, Chelsea
International Honours – Spain U16, U17, U20, U21, Spain
Cesc Fabregas like Emmanuel Petit, made his reputation at Arsenal, joining the North London club as a youngster from Barcelona.
A cultured midfielder with an unbelievable eye for a defence-splitting pass, Fabregas had an impressive career with Arsenal, grabbing the captaincy and the adoration of the Gunners support.
However, in August 2011, Fabregas ended his Arsenal career opting to return to the club where he spent time as a youngster, Barcelona, with a fee of ?29 million exchanging hands with a further ?5 million in add-ons.
Whilst with Barcelona, Fabregas continued to enhance his reputation whilst also helping the club to accumulate silverware the Catalan giants are accustomed to collecting.
In June 2014, Fabregas opted to leave the Nou Camp to sign for Chelsea, in a deal worth ?33 million with the Spaniard signing a five-year deal.
In his first season with Chelsea Fabregas helped the club to win the 2014 / 2015 Premier league title, a feat he repeated in the 2016 / 2017 season.
Fabregas remains an integral part of the Chelsea squad and still has that unbelievable knack of providing defence splitting passes.
Emmanuel Petit and Cesc Fabregas, the first in our ongoing series of players who have worn the shirts of both Barcelona and Chelsea.
Stay tuned for the next instalment, where we`ll be taking a look at a couple of defenders who retain our affections.
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