Cesc Fabregas was so frustrated with Blackburn Rovers' negative tactics in the goalless FA Cup fifth-round tie with Arsenal at the Emirates last season that he confronted Rovers manager Mark Hughes on the touchline at the end, sarcastically inquiring if he had really once played for Barcelona, an act for which he swiftly apologised. But after Liverpool's ultra-cautious approach in Wednesday's 1-1 Champions League quarter-final first leg, Fabregas seemed in the mood to ask Anfield boss Rafa Benitez if he really once coached Real Madrid's youth team.
Fabregas, whose own approach to football could not be more flamboyant if he played while flourishing a cape, was disappointed that Liverpool did not show more ambition at the Emirates. And having achieved their target of stealing an away goal, Fabregas expects them to be even more defensive in Tuesday's second leg at Anfield.
He says: "They defend very well and at 1-1, I think all they will want to do is defend and try to catch us on the break. We have to stick to our policy of playing football, attacking and trying to create opportunities. Just because the other team refuses to play doesn't mean we have to do the same thing. We want to stick to our football and that's what we will do."
In the ultimate compliment to Fabregas's constructive abilities and his eye for a killer pass, Benitez detailed Argentinian bulldog Javier Mascherano to mark him out of the game, a task he stuck to so enthusiastically that when they clashed in the full glare of the floodlights, their bodies only formed one shadow.
"I could feel his breath on my neck all the first half," Fabregas said. "For me, I think he is an amazing player. Defensively, he's very good and with the ball, he knows what he is doing. He reminds me a little bit of Mathieu [Flamini] as well."
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