'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Amid all the crisis at Stamford Bridge since the start of the new campaign, Chelsea midfielder Cesc Fabregas has named his Dream XI and seven of the players he has had the privilege to work with, are all included in the squad. Fabregas’ former and current teammates all make the cut. He even broke the golden unwritten rule when naming his dream team by allotting a place for himself in midfield.
The 28-year-old opted to go with a 4-3-3 formation and has picked the Blues’ undisputed No.1 goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois in goal, labelling him “the best goalkeeper in the world”. The Belgium international is currently out with injury and he is being sorely missed by his teammates. Courtois had a brilliant debut campaign at Stamford Bridge and kept a total of 12 clean sheets.
In defence, Fabregas made an obvious choice by selecting his long-time friend Gerard Pique, partnered by Paris Saint-Germain’s centre-back Marquinhos. Bayern Munich’s David Alaba occupies the left back position in the Spaniard's team while the English champions’s ‘Mr. Reliable’ Cesar Azpilicueta is deployed on the right flank.
In the middle of the park, the former Barcelona player picked the emerging Italian starlet Marco Veratti alongside Frenchman Paul Pogba, who is gifted with immense talent as we witnessed last season when he inspired Juventus to their Scudetto triumph and led the charge to Champions League final.
However, the third player’s inclusion in the three-man midfield is rather surprising. The English champions’ title-defending campaign has been crumbled away over the last couple of months and Fabregas’ lacklustre performances this season have been heavily criticised.
The Spain international has been below-par this term and he hasn’t done enough to justify that starting spot in his own squad. While a host of other choices David Silva, Kevin De Bruyne, Andres Iniesta and Mesut Ozil spring to mind as potential replacements for the under-performing Spaniard.
In the side’s attacking force, former teammate at Nou Camp, Lionel Messi has been tasked to work his magic from the right flank while Eden Hazard remains in his preferred position – left wing for Fabregas’ team.
Hazard is another surprising selection considering his recent dip in form, but his dribbling ability cannot be questioned, as he has already completed 31 take-ons this term. However, he is yet to score this season.
Leading the line is Barcelona’s star striker Luis Suarez, who has been the best striker in Europe, if not the world, for the past two seasons.
A surprising development in the whole process was that the Spaniard did not name anyone from his former club Arsenal despite having played alongside the likes of Thierry Henry in his time with the Gunners.
