Barcelona star Cesc Fabregas has paid tribute to the education he enjoyed at Arsenal.

Fabregas came through Barca's Copa del Rey win at third-tier Hospitalet unscathed last night.

And he said: "At Arsenal, I often supported Robin van Persie, now I'm doing the same with Lionel Messi and David Villa.

"I learned so much at Arsenal and it is good to be able to use that experience in Spain.

"Matches like Sunday's draw in Bilbao, where the surface was very wet, need the sort of strengths of the English game."