“The kid who made me leave Arsenal” – Cesc Fabregas recalls funny meeting with Patrick Vieira

The Frenchman left the Gunners for Juventus in 2005, having won three Premier League titles and three FA Cups in north London, after Fabregas broke into Arsene Wenger’s first team. 

The 42-year-old is now the head coach of Ligue 1 side Nice and came face-to-face with his former team-mate again in January when his team faced Monaco, shortly after Fabregas had joined them from Chelsea.

“I saw Patrick Vieira when we played against Nice with Monaco,” the former Barcelona star told Nice-Matin.

“It was very funny because I met him in the locker room before the match, he was with the president of Nice and he said to him while looking at me: ‘President, this is the kid who made me leave Arsenal’.”

Fabregas brought a four-and-a-half year spell at Stamford Bridge to an end in January after struggling for game time, and insists it was the right decision.

“I was sad at leaving London and the Premier League,” he said.

“It represents 10 years of my life but I'm also very excited to discover a new challenge, probably the hardest of my career. I've never been afraid of challenges.”

Since making his move, the 31-year-old has scored one goal in nine Ligue 1 appearances for Monaco.

OPINION Why don’t neutrals want Liverpool to win the Premier League?