Fabregas urged to steer clear of Chelsea 'nightmare'

Cesc Fabregas

Como boss Cesc Fabregas has emerged as a contender for the vacant managerial post at Chelsea, but he has been sternly warned to avoid the "nightmare" situation at his old club. Former Blues midfielder Emmanuel Petit believes the Spaniard should wait for a return to Barcelona rather than step into the chaos at Stamford Bridge.

Petit issues Chelsea a warning

Petit has advised Fabregas to avoid the "mess" that is Chelsea, telling the Como boss a return to Barcelona would "make the most sense" for his career. The former midfielder, who, like Fabregas, represented both Chelsea and Barca during his decorated career, believes the environment in west London is currently too volatile for a coach on the rise.

Speaking about the potential appointment, Petit was emphatic in his assessment of the situation. "Cesc Fabregas to Chelsea? No, no, no. If you have to choose between Chelsea and Barcelona, you definitely go to Barcelona, not Chelsea. Chelsea is a mess. It’s a mess," Petit told Andy’s Bet Club.

Fabregas

The vacancy at Stamford Bridge

Fabregas is one of the many high-profile names being linked with the vacant position at Stamford Bridge following Liam Rosenior’s dismissal as head coach on Wednesday. Rosenior was relieved of his duties after overseeing five straight league defeats without scoring a single goal, an unwanted piece of history which had not happened at Chelsea since 1912.

While Under-21 coach Calum McFarlane has taken over the reins on an interim basis, the search for a permanent successor is intensifying. However, Petit warns that the club is currently a graveyard for managers. "It’s a nightmare for managers; it’s kind of a nightmare as well for the players, actually. You will find more serenity even if you face a lot of pressure in Barcelona," he added.

Success with Como project

Former Chelsea midfielder Fabregas, 38, has won himself plenty of admirers with his outstanding work in charge of Como. They finished ninth on their return to Serie A last season – their highest finish since 1987 – and the club is on course to better that this term, sitting fifth in the top flight with five games remaining.

Despite the lure of the Premier League, Fabregas recently insisted he is not looking for a move. "I am very committed to this project. You never know, but right now I think it’s very unlikely I’ll leave Como," he said. "Last year, I wanted to see how other clubs operated. I mentioned it to the president, but I decided to stay. I’m very happy with what we’ve been able to achieve. This is an important project. I need to feel good here. It’s important that my family be happy, and if they’re happy in Como, I’ll stay."

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The Barcelona dream connection

Petit believes that if Fabregas is to leave Italy, the Camp Nou is the only logical destination. He added: "What is the best location to go? It’s definitely Barcelona. He’s from this club. He knows the city, the club, the mentality, and the DNA of the club very well. He’s got very good players at the club. The way he has transformed Como, I think he knows exactly what kind of players you would add into the team to improve them, especially defensively."

The Frenchman concluded by highlighting the current trend of Spanish tactical dominance in world football. "But he’ll have the chance to be present in La Liga every single season to win the title over there, but you also have the chance to compete at the highest level in the Champions League, too," he said. "Fabregas going back to Barcelona would make sense. I think Spanish managers are probably the best actually on the market: Pep Guardiola, Unai Emery, Xabi Alonso, Luis Enrique, and Fabregas."