Big Milan test holds no fears for Fabregas

Mar 4 2008

CESC FABREGAS maintains Arsenal are not "scared" at the prospect of taking on Champions League holders AC Milan at the San Siro on tonight – and backed Arsene Wenger’s young Gunners to play their way into the quarter-finals.

Arsenal held on to top spot in the Barclays Premier League on Saturday by virtue of a stoppage-time equaliser from substitute Nicklas Bendtner which rescued a last-gasp draw against Aston Villa.

Fabregas felt that result – dug out when everything seemed to be going against the Gunners following a difficult week in the wake of Eduardo’s horrific leg injury at Birmingham – showed this squad have the mental strength needed to mount a sustained assault for the game’s biggest honours.

However, for the 2006 Champions League runners-up to progress into the last eight of this season’s elite European club competition, Arsenal will have to do it the hard way.

Standing in their path are the current holders, who secured a goalless draw at Emirates Stadium two weeks ago and possess a star-studded squad capable of taking any team apart – as Manchester United found out when they ventured to Italy last year.

Fabregas, however, insists there will be no sense of Arsenal being over-awed at their task.

Indeed, but for the width of a crossbar in stoppage-time when Emmanuel Adebayor failed to convert a close-range header at Emirates Stadium, the Gunners could have been defending a slender lead tonight.

“We are young, but we are not scared of anything and we will play our game,” declared 20-year-old Spaniard Fabregas.

“You have always seen if we are winning or losing, we will never go to defend. We will always want to attack, because it is the way we like to play and enjoy playing.

“You take the risk that sometimes you will draw or lose, of course, but we enjoy it – and any football fans should be proud there are teams like Arsenal who want to play football always, not to defend.”

Fabregas added, “We are playing against Milan, a big team with a lot of medals in their pockets.

“It will be interesting to see how we respond to that. We will play at the San Siro for the first time, and think we can do well if we play 100 per cent and maybe we can cause a surprise.”