Arsenal captain Cesc Fabregas expects to play for Catalonia in next week's friendly against Argentina. Fabregas, 22, seems keen to take part. On Saturday morning, the day after manager Arsene Wenger had expressly warned he would refuse permission, Fabregas told Marca: "I'll play for Arsenal this Wednesday against Burnley and three days after against Hull.

"After that we have a gap in the Premier League and so on December 22 I will play for Catalonia at the Nou Camp. We are going to have almost a week without any games in the English league, and I want to take advantage of this by going to Spain and playing for the Catalan team against Argentina."