Cesc: False 9? Its all relative

Cesc Fabregas has dismissed the 'false nine' label he has been branded with when playing up front for Spain.

Though a midfielder by trade, the former Arsenal star appeared at the centre of La Roja's attacking trident during Euro 2012 and against Belarus on Friday night.

“I still think the stuff about the false nine is relative,” Fabregas told a press conference ahead of tomorrow night's France clash.

“Against Portugal and Italy at the European championships I think I showed that. If I'm the nine I'll try to play as a striker but with my personality being more that of a midfielder. If the Coach tells me to play as a nine, I'll play as a nine.”

The Barcelona man then evaluated the threat posed by France, who Spain lost to at World Cup 2006 but knocked out of the recent Euros at the quarter-final stage.

“I think we more or less know them from the European championships. They have new players but we expect the same system, or a similar one.

“They still have [Franck] Ribery, [Karim] Benzema and [Yohan] Cabaye, so we'll have to play a good match to win.

“Since 2006 they have changed much, the whole team has changed with the exception of Ribery. You have to respect France because they're a strong team, but we have to take advantage of the strong moment Spanish football is going through.”

Tags 2014 World Cup Fabregas France Spain
La Liga - Club News