Cesc Fabregas' Chelsea Form Underlines Transfer Error by Barcelona

Cesc Fabregas looks like the sort of player that Barcelona could do with in their midfield right now, which makes it all the more confusing why they let him sign for Chelsea this summer.

There were plenty of reasons for the player himself to want to leave the Camp Nou after last season.

On a basic level, it was a poor one for Barcelona. They did not win one of the three main trophies they were fighting for and were subsequently banned from making transfers, which made it seem like they were going to struggle again this year to achieve their aims.

But on a personal level, it was disastrous for Cesc. He was castigated after a poor performance in the Champions League quarter-final second leg at the Vicente Calderon against Atletico Madrid.

Cesc was substituted after a dismal showing as the false nine, with Lionel Messi shunted out to the right by coach Tata Martino.

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While Barcelona didn't just lose the game and their place in the competition because of Fabregas' poor showing before his substitution after an hour, the mutters among the fans showed that they did not trust him anymore.

But in Fabregas' defence, he was never allowed to play in the position that he thrives in, that central midfield role that was dominated by Xavi Hernandez.

Cesc was played up front, on the left, on the right and essentially anywhere apart from in the core of the team.

That is understandable, because the Sergio Busquets, Xavi and Andres Iniesta axis is one which Barcelona have used for many years and was crucial to their great success under Pep Guardiola.

Nobody blames the manager for not breaking it up to include Cesc. But where Barcelona went wrong was in not convincing the midfielder that this would be his year.

In the summer he was sold to Jose Mourinho's Chelsea and Barcelona bought Ivan Rakitic in from Sevilla.

However, Xavi's influence on games has waned somewhat. He is still a classy and impressive performer but is no longer a man opponents fear the way they used to.

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Rakitic is another good player, but it remains unclear whether he has the capacity to dominate games, to truly run them, grab them by the scruff of the neck and work his magic.

Cesc has proved he can do that at Chelsea. Mourinho took the Spaniard and gave him what he wanted. The chance to become the engine of the team.

Alongside the imperious Nemanja Matic, Fabregas has been able to control the flow of matches and feed the eager forwards, with Eden Hazard and Diego Costa particularly enjoying playing with the midfielder.

There's rarely a goal scored at Stamford Bridge or on the road with Mourinho's men without Cesc playing a major part.

While his form has dipped slightly over the past few weeks, he has still proven decisive in games like Monday night's 2-0 win over Stoke City.

Fabregas created the first goal with a corner that was headed in by John Terry, his 12th assist of the season, which puts him well on course to beat Thierry Henry's record of 20.

Then he scored the second himself, running onto Hazard's through ball and then scuffing it into the bottom left corner beyond the helpless Asmir Begovic.

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It put the Blues top of the Premier League for Christmas, a position that Barcelona would dearly love to be in themselves in La Liga. Instead, they are one point behind Real Madrid, who have a game in hand to play in 2015.

Could a player like Fabregas have made the difference in the two stale 0-0 draws against Malaga and Getafe this season? Without doubt.

Cesc's detractors at Barcelona say that he doesn't fit the club's style of football, having been given an "English" education by Arsenal after he moved to north London as a teenager.

While that may be true, would that not be perfect for the way that Luis Enrique is trying to play? With Luis Suarez, Messi and Neymar holding the power in the current side, what Barcelona need is someone who can feed them in the most effective way.

And as Fabregas has now proved at Chelsea, he is that man.

Even if he wanted to leave, sporting director Andoni Zubizarreta should have had the foresight to see that he would have finally been useful at Barcelona in the position he loves.

With every passing game, Cesc is showing Barcelona the mistake they made in letting him go in the summer.