Fabregas - I want to swap shirts with Vieira

By Richard Clarke in Austria
 
Cesc Fabregas is relishing the opportunity to lock horns with Patrick Vieira once again.
 
The former Arsenal captain could be back in North London at the weekend with Inter for the inaugural Emirates Cup and is scheduled to line-up against Arsène Wenger's side on Sunday.

It will not be the first time the pair have done battle since Vieira left the Club two summers ago. Much was made of the midfield match-up between the pair when the Frenchman came back to Highbury with Juventus for a Champions League tie in March 2006.
 
The Spaniard, then 18, scored the first goal, made the second and dominated the game. Like everyone else, Vieira had a poor game in comparison and received a booking that saw him suspended from the second leg. 
 
Afterwards English media suggested that game was a watershed in the development of Fabregas at Arsenal. It signified that the student had taken over from the master. But the player himself strongly disagrees.
 
"No, never," he said. "It would be wrong to think that. It is true I was happy at the end of the game about how it went. But it was only one game. There will be games when you are really satisfied but after many of the games you are angry with yourself.
 
"That is football. One day you are up and one day you are down. You just have to keep on the same levels and enjoy football. You just have to enjoy it because it is a sport. Not because you did well against Patrick Vieira or another player.
 
"I'll be very pleased to see Patrick at the weekend," continued Fabregas. "He was my team-mate for two years. He was a great player, a good captain and a very nice person. It will be nice to have him back.
 
"I feel I learned a lot from him - his personality, his technique and particularly how he uses his body. He had some amazing tricks but he also carried the responsibility for the side.
 
"He will not be playing for Arsenal of course but I think that people will enjoy seeing him again. I will certainly enjoy playing the game. It is always a big test playing against big players like him.  I will see if I can swap shirts with him."
 
Of course there is another ex-Arsenal midfielder expected to be on show at the weekend. Edu left in the same summer as Vieira for Valencia. The Spanish side will not play Arsène Wenger's team over the weekend but Fabregas will be more than happy to rekindle relations with the Brazilian midfielder off the pitch.
 
"Edu, he is a nice, nice, nice guy," said the 20-year-old. "I still keep in touch with him. He is now in Valencia but I have seen him a few times. I learned a lot from him - not only just on the pitch. We got on very, very well so it will be nice to see him again as well."

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