Barcelona have claimed that Cesc Fabregas performed progressively worse during his seasons at the club after he sealed a move to Chelsea.
The 27-year-old midfielder was a graduate of Blaugrana’s La Masia youth academy before leaving for Arsenal, only to return in a €34 million deal in August 2011.
However, in a curious report on the club’s official website, the Catalan outfit appear to hit out at the Spain international’s inability to maintain high standards by the time he reached the second half of the season.
“There has been a downward trend in his stats every season at the club,” the statement read.
“He slipped right back into the FCB system as if he’d never been away. But despite glowing starts to each campaign, Cesc’s contributions to the cause gradually decreased as each season drew to a close.”
Fabregas scored 42 goals in 151 games for Barcelona in his three years at club, winning La Liga and a Copa del Rey before this summer’s move to Jose Mourinho’s Chelsea, but had been accused this campaign of fading towards its conclusion.
“From being someone who joined in with the attack, supplying and scoring goals, the magic tended to fade later on in each season,” the article continued.
“He only scored one, six and one goals in the last 24 games of each season.
“For some reason, he was never as good in the second half of a season as in the first.”
Source: Goal