Liverpool youth boss Rodolfo Borrell has recalled the first time he saw Arsenal captain Cesc Fabregas playing when scouting for Barcelona.

Fabregas had been playing for Mataro, a team based 35km north of Barcelona, but it was not until Borrell's third visit to the club that he unearthed his diamond.

"I went to see them play again and suddenly I saw this one player who was simply wonderful," Borrell told BBC Sport.

"They told me he was called Cesc Fabregas and he was one year younger than the rest. He was good at running with the ball, had a fantastic pass over short, medium and long distances.

"He was very mature for his age and had all the attributes we were looking for at Barcelona at that time.

"At half-time, I asked the coach why I had not seen this kid before. He admitted that, when he saw me coming, he had decided not to play him because he knew that if I saw him I would take him."