Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger admits captaincy has been ‘heavy burden’ for Cesc Fabregas

Cesc Fabregas, Arsenal

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Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger says that Cesc Fabregas will become a stronger person after admitting that the captaincy has been a “heavy burden” for him.

Fabregas is just 23 and Wenger has admitted that he is probably too young for such responsibility but says it will help the Spanish midfielder in the long term.

“It is too much for him at his age … I believe so, of course,” Wenger said in an article in The Guardian.

“But he is the captain of the team and Robin van Persie is vice-captain and they put a lot of pressure on themselves. Cesc is a winner. He wants to win, he is desperate to win the games. And, of course, when it does not work, he is frustrated.

“It is too much because it doesn’t go as well. Once it will go well, he will grow with it. Every difficulty in life will make you stronger, especially when you have a strong character. He is a strong character and I believe it will make him stronger.

“Maybe this season, it is a bit of a heavy burden for him.”

Fabregas himself says that despite the captaincy being hard at times he must learn to deal with the pressure.

“I am the man who everyone looks to,” he said. “I don’t like to say it but it is true. If I play badly, I take responsibility and the pressure of the supporters.

“It is not something I am used to but I am captain, so it is reality. Only me and Van Persie remain of that trophy-winning generation so we have a lot of responsibility.

“We are all so young that there is nobody you look at and say: ‘Wow.'”

Wenger insists that his team have performed well this season but says their lack of experience cost them at important moments.

“But I don’t fault the attitude of my team. This team, this season, could have won absolutely everything. When things turned against us, we became a bit nervous in the key moments of the games.

“We try certainly to bring in some more experience. One of the reasons I took Jens Lehmann back as well, when we were close to the end, was that, you know … because he has done it.”