The Arsenal captain said: "For me this is the best game that I have experienced on the pitch. In terms of quality, in terms of intensity. They had the ball, they went for it. We had the ball, we went for it. For me I've never experienced a game with so much quality with me being on the pitch, by both teams. And of course with the right result as we won. It's a massive victory."
The midfielder would not be drawn on how highly he rates Arsenal's chances of knocking out the 2009 champions but he does sense the result could be different to last year when Arsenal were defeated 6-3 on aggregate in the quarter-finals. "I wouldn't know to give you a percentage but it will be difficult," he said. "I have a good feeling if everyone stays fit and there are no injuries like last year and I think this is fundamental."
Fábregas, who left Barcelona for Arsenal as a 16-year-old, was injured for the second leg of last year's tie. And despite several attempts by the Spaniards to lure the Arsenal captain back to his home town the 23-year-old midfielder is yet to feature there in a Gunners shirt. He said: "I hope that I will get to play at the Camp Nou. It's a special dream to play at the Camp Nou and of course I will enjoy it but the important thing is that Arsenal go through. I have not had the chance as an Arsenal player and I am looking forward to it. But I am an Arsenal player and that is what I am thinking about."
"Although I am looking forward to the chance I know that if I run around after the ball for 90 minutes without touching [the ball], I won't enjoy it at all – however special the place."
Despite Wednesday's win being the first occasion Arsenal have beaten Barcelona, Fábregas is clear that the requirement now is to complete business in three weeks time in the return leg. "A weight off your shoulders comes after both games not just one," he said. "We are happy because it's not every [day] you beat the best team in history but it's not finished by any means. We know we have to go to a very tough stadium and it will be very difficult."
Arsenal are still competing on all fronts. They are second in the Premier League, play an FA Cup fifth-round tie on Sunday at Leyton Orient, and the following weekend face Birmingham City in the Carling Cup final. Fábregas believes the win over Barcelona has given them a vital boost ahead of these challenges.
He said: "We are happy because now we have the FA Cup, the final of the Carling Cup, we have the league where we are alive. We have so many games and we hope this win will give us confidence for those matches that lie ahead. We played with a lot of passion and a lot of heart and we proved that we could win in the end."
Barcelona led 1-0 at half-time yet they may have been at least two goals better off after Lionel Messi missed two chances. Fábregas, however, was unsure whether the visitors deserved to lose.
"I don't know if it was a fair result. They had great chances. I remember two of Leo [Messi] one-on-one with the keeper. But I also remember one of [Robin] van Persie in the first half and another from my cross that [Eric] Abidal cleared when Van Persie was ready to score and another from [Theo] Walcott," he said.
Xavi, the Barcelona midfielder maintained that his side were superior. "I thought we had a fantastic attitude, we played very well and we were true to our personality," he said.
"It wasn't to be but there is time to turn it round. Because of their goals, they will feel happier than us but I think we were much [the] better [team]."
Source: Jamie Jackson, The Guardian on 17 Feb 11
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