Cesc Fabregas, the former Arsenal and Chelsea midfielder, has recently sparked a debate by stating that a former Barcelona player surpasses Manchester City's Kevin De Bruyne in terms of skill and performance.
Fabregas boasts an impressive career with 350 appearances in the Premier League and 151 games for Barcelona, including 48 under Pep Guardiola's management. With numerous trophies to his name for both club and country, he is well-versed in identifying top-level players.
At present, the 37-year-old shares his insights on various renowned midfielders from different eras. Recently, one such comparison between a current Manchester City midfielder and another iconic midfield star who played under Guardiola has caught attention.
Fabregas also picked Iniesta over Zidane
In an engaging winner-stays-on challenge video shared on Goal's official TikTok channel, Fabregas was asked to choose between several past and present midfielders. When it came down to Andres Iniesta versus Kevin De Bruyne, he chose the Spaniard without hesitation.
Interestingly enough, Iniesta was among the first two choices presented to him during this challenge. He consistently picked his former Barcelona teammate over other legendary options like Zinedine Zidane, Xavi Hernandez and Andrea Pirlo.
Numbers favour Kevin De Bruyne
During his tenure with Barcelona, Andres Iniesta scored 57 goals while providing an impressive tally of 136 assists across all competitions in his total of 674 appearances. On the other hand, Kevin De Bruyne has netted a total of 102 goals along with supplying an outstanding number of assists (170) throughout his career at Manchester City spanning over just 382 appearances so far.
Despite these statistics favoring De Bruyne slightly due to his higher goal contributions in fewer games, Fabregas' choice of Iniesta over the Belgium midfielder is understandable. The two Spanish midfielders played together in 108 games at Barcelona, contributing jointly to 10 goals.
Fabregas' preference for Iniesta over De Bruyne has sparked a lively debate among sports fans and betting enthusiasts alike. While statistics may favor De Bruyne, Fabregas' personal experience playing alongside Iniesta seems to have influenced his decision. This comparison serves as a reminder of the subjective nature of footballing greatness and how it can be perceived differently based on individual experiences and perspectives.
