Cesc Fabregas assesses English and Spanish game
Arsenal captain Cesc Fabregas has remarked on the differences between Spanish and English football, saying that his native country focuses less on results and more on entertainment on the pitch.
Ever since joining Arsenal from Barcelona in 2003, Fabregas has adopted the possession-based game he picked up in Catalonia to the physical nature of the Premier League.
"Here in England it is passion and the fans love it when there are hard tackles and you play long balls and counter-attack. If you do that in Spain they will boo you," the midfielder told the Telegraph about the differences between the two leagues.
That Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger adheres to a philosophy of movement and passing aided the 23-year-old's transition. But several other Premier League signings, including Fernando Torres and Xabi Alonso, have been able to take full advantage of the training
they received as youngsters in Spain in recent years.
"Here [in England] if you play good football, good football, good football and you don’t win then they can boo you for the opposite. You have to believe in your style and go for it."
Club-level discipline in Spain
Fabregas also added that the tactical and behavioural discipline at in Spain fosters club loyalty from players who rise through the ranks of youth academies, as he did at Barcelona before moving to London.
"You can be a good footballer, but if you don’t study, if you don’t behave, if you don’t have the discipline to get to training on time and eat well then they don’t care if you’re the best.
"And that’s the most important thing because now it is very easy at 17 to become a first-team player, get some money and to go back down again because you think you have made it. But in Spain they would never let you do that. If that happened you would be
out of the team straight away."
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