Cesc Fabregas exclusive : ‘I learnt my lessons... I have different goals now'

Chelsea ace Cesc Fabregas never expected to leave boyhood club Barcelona twice in his career.

But growing up in the glitzy and fast-paced world of football meant changes often came at a moment’s notice.

After sealing a deal to join the Blues over the summer, the 27-year-old Spanish national has lit up the Premier League stage with a series of impressive performances this season.

And in this exclusive interview with Yahoo, Fabregas spoke about dealing with false rumours, his life in Chelsea and moving on from Spain’s World Cup disappointment.

“Things are different for me now,” Fabregas explained.

“I reached a point of maturity in my life, and realized many things. When I was younger, I made many mistakes but later on, I learnt my lessons.

“As you grow older, you meet people with more experience, and you know what is good or bad for you as a player,” he added.

The 1.75m tall central attacking midfielder has also flourished under Jose Mourinho’s management style at Stamford Bridge.

As a Barcelona player, he had faced the former Real Madrid manager several times in Spanish competitions.

A recent statistic has also revealed that he is the most hardworking player in the Premiership, covering a total of 153.6km for Chelsea on the pitch.

He has also provided the most number of assists in the league (10).

CRITICS

Despite his impressive achievements, it wasn’t an easy path back to England for the player from Barcelona.

There, he picked up one La Liga and Copa del Rey title and two Spanish Supercup trophies with the Catalan giants.

He also scored a total of 28 goals in 96 appearances for the club.

So when it was announced that Fabregas would be returning to London as a Chelsea player in August, critics branded him a ‘traitor’ for snubbing boyhood club Arsenal.

After all it was in 2005, under Arsene Wenger’s leadership, that Arsenal had given him his first professional contract at the tender age 16.

But the player maintained that his decision to join Chelsea was a professional one.

“In football, things change. I left Arsenal because it was always my dream to play for a club in my home city (Barcelona) again. My time there has ended and now, I am here at Chelsea because I had different goals than when I was a teenager. I want to win trophies,” Fabregas explained.

His goals did little to stop the rumours published by the Spanish press, who are known to be sensational in their pursuit of making headlines.

Fabregas was linked to Man United, Real Madrid and a return to Arsenal in the summer and the speculation weighed heavily on his closed ones.

“Things happen very quickly in football and the rumours can get out of hand. I always tell my friends and family to listen to me, and not the newspapers or TV. I say to my best friend: ‘Don’t listen man,’” he said.

Fabregas added that the accusations from the press did not affect him as much as it had affected his family.

GOSSIP

For example, his personal life had been splashed on the pages of gossip newspapers after Spain’s Euro 2012 win, as it emerged that he was dating a Lebanese millionaire’s ex-wife who was 12 years his senior.

“If I’m honest, the rumours affect my family and friends more than me. I’m a strong guy, I’ve experienced worst things in life, and in the end, I can only get out of this situation in one way: by playing good football. The rumours about my life do not matter.

“And as much as I believe in myself, I will try to convey that idea in the field, through playing the best football,” he said.

After a disastrous World Cup campaign in Brazil this year, Spain were embarrassingly knocked out in the first round of the competition.

The two-time European Cup and 2010 World Cup winner with the national side also admitted that it was difficult to recover after their failure to defend their trophy.

“We have always been a very close team. At the World Cup, things didn’t go well because we did not play our roles.

“Now, we have to be united more than ever. What the media gave us in Brazil was the complete opposite of what we needed.

“In football, we live in the present and whatever happens, happens. I have great confidence, and I know we will improve,” Fabregas admitted.

FAMILY LIFE

A big key to Fabregas’ newfound success is the support he receives at home from his partner, Daniella Semaan, 39, a Lebanese socialite whom he met in London in 2012.

The couple have an 8-month old daughter, Lia, and two children from Semaan’s previous marriage to Lebanese billionaire Elie Taktouk.

Taktouk had famously complained to the media that Fabregas had “stolen his wife” while they tried for a baby in 2012.

Meanwhile, Daniella gave an interview in September where she admitted that the 12-year age difference between her and Fabregas did not bother her.

“I don’t care about the opinions of people I don’t know (about their age difference). I can say that Cesc is very devoted to his work, and I admire him even more now than when we first met,” she said.

Semaan, who is best friends with Lionel Messi’s girlfriend, Antonella, added that the player’s maturity was also an admirable quality.

“Cesc is a lot more mature than guys who are twice his age. There are people who are ten years older than him who act like little children and only think of partying,” she said, possibly referring to her ex-husband Taktouk.

However, it is Daniella’s appraisal of Fabregas’ character that truly sheds light on the player as a man in his many life roles.

“Cesc has a heart of gold and I have never known anyone like him. He takes care of his family, friends, my children and me. He reminds me not to be worried and always comes with a smile and is very grateful. For me, he is extraordinary because under a lot of work and pressure, he never loses hope,” she said.

And surely, there’s a recipe for success in the coming years.