Fabregas: I wish I had played with Suarez

Chelsea midfielder Cesc Fabregas has spoken of his admiration for Luis Suarez, and is disappointed not to have played alongside him.

The Spain international left Camp Nou to join the Blues in 2014, while the Uruguayan was moving in the opposite direction, arriving in Catalonia from Liverpool as Fabregas returned to London.

"Barcelona have fantastic players," the former Arsenal captain told Goal. "The three in attack decide matches, even though the best of them all is missing at the moment - and that's Leo Messi.

"But Neymar has taken a step forward and Luis Suarez is... I wish I had played with him at Barcelona because he is a striker with whom I would have had a phenomenal understanding.

"The rest, Andres Iniesta, Sergio Busquets and also the defence, which is practically the same, they have a very high level."

Fabregas was speaking ahead of El Clasico on Saturday, when his former club will take on archrivals Real Madrid at Estadio Santiago Bernabeu

"The Clasico on November 21 is the greatest match that exists is today's football," he added. "In a year and a half, I have missed a maximum of seven games.

"I experienced lots of Clasicos, 10 or 12, and I had the chance to score goals at the Bernabeu and to win titles, like on the day of my debut.

"We won 80 percent of the Clasicos we played in that time. It's something I have experienced, something that excited me. Now I enjoy it like I did when I was a kid, watching it on TV."