Cesc Fabregas has come up against many good players in his career, having enjoyed memorable spells with Arsenal, Chelsea, Barcelona and for the Spain national team, but feels Steven Gerrard stands out as the toughest opponent he has faced.
Fabregas is still playing for Monaco in French Ligue 1, but he remembers his days in the Premier League for Arsenal and Chelsea as when he met his fiercest opposition.
During a Twitter Q&A the 34-year-old was asked who his toughest opponent as an Arsenal player was and he answered: ‘Steven Gerrard.’
While the question was only limited to his Arsenal career, it also goes for his Chelsea days because he has hailed Gerrard as his toughest opponent in the past.
‘If I have to say one – and I really enjoyed playing against – I would say Steven Gerrard,’ Fabregas told the BBC’s Match of the Day: Top 10 podcast.
‘He was physically the most difficult opponent to handle. ‘He was the box-to-box player, he could be on his right or left, shooting from the outside of his boot. He was a machine.’
Despite rating Gerrard highly, Fabregas would not be drawn into the debate about who is the better player between the Liverpool legend and Chelsea legend Frank Lampard.
Asked for his opinion on the subject, the Spanish playmaker said: ‘I hate comparisons.’
Fabregas was asked about the most underrated player he has ever played alongside and he mentioned Alexander Hleb, who he played with for both Arsenal and Barcelona.
