• Champions League

'Broken' Fabregas felt no pain as he equalised with broken leg

ESPNsoccernet staff
April 3, 2010
Cesc Fabregas will miss the chance to play at the Nou Camp on Tuesday © Getty Images
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Cesc Fabregas has revealed he was running on pure adrenalin as he scored with a broken leg in Arsenal's Champions League draw with Barcelona.

Fabregas said he was "broken" at having his season ruined by the injury, particularly after already losing the chance to play at the Nou Camp in the quarter-final return leg next week by reaching the yellow cards limit.

The Gunners skipper bravely scored the equaliser from the spot and then played out the match on a broken fibula as Arsenal fought back to 2-2 at the Emirates on Wednesday, with Fabregas' season almost certainly over unless his team-mates reach the Champions League final on May 22.

Fabregas told the Sun: "My leg is broken - and I feel broken too. The penalty I scored against Barcelona could be my last act as an Arsenal player this season. But I have to cling to the hope that we can get through at the Nou Camp, win our semi-final and I might be fit for the Champions League final. That might be asking a lot but it is my dream and what I pray for.

"When Carles Puyol fouled me to concede the penalty all I could think about was to grab the ball put it on the penalty spot and hit it as hard as I could. The adrenalin must have been flowing through me so strongly because I didn't feel any pain as I smashed the ball past Victor Valdes. But as soon as I ran to collect the ball to take it back to the centre-spot I was in agony.

"I had been dreaming of playing for Arsenal at the Nou Camp - it's all part of the magic of us being drawn against Barcelona. I've never disguised how special the club is to me and I desperately wanted to be there and give a performance fit for such a wonderful stadium."

Fabregas has admitted he does not know if his leg was broken in the game before the Barcelona clash when he was tackled by Craig Gardner in the 1-1 draw at Birmingham, although his manager Arsene Wenger has insisted it was only bruised, and not broken, before Wednesday night.

"Some people think I may have even broken the leg against Birmingham a week earlier - and, to be honest, I just don't know. Yes, it's exactly the same spot but I didn't go into the game against Barcelona thinking 'My leg's broken'.''

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.
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