Cesc Fabregas Reportedly Opens Legal Action Against Pat Nevin After Chelsea Jibe

Chelsea midfielder Cesc Fabregas is reportedly ready to take legal action against former Blues player Pat Nevin after he insinuated the Spaniard was happy to lose games for his team.

Earlier in the season, radio presenter Garry Richardson of BBC Sport claimed on BBC Radio 5 live's Sportsweek that a senior Chelsea player would “rather lose than win” for former manager Jose Mourinho.

As reported by Charles Sale of the Daily Mail, Nevin suggested that man was Fabregas on BBC Radio Four’s Today show and the Spaniard is seemingly ready to fight his corner.

“Fabregas has authorised lawyers to send legal letters alleging defamation to former Chelsea player Nevin,” writes Sale. “(Garry) Richardson brought up the 'rather lose than win' comment with Nevin, who said: 'Yeah, that was Cesc Fabregas, wasn't it?’”

However, in a column on the official Chelsea website, Nevin has denied that he was insinuating that Fabregas was the player in question:

"

During an interview with BBC Radio 4’s Today programme I asked, in passing while talking about some other recent happenings at the club, if the player who said the phrase six weeks ago: ‘I would rather lose than play for Jose,’ had been outed in the press as Cesc? I absolutely wasn't having a go at Cesc, but asking the question, as the reporter I was talking to was the one who originally broke that story. Basically I thought that this had been the press line in the following days back then. He replied, ‘No comment’. Even the newspaper put a question mark at the end of my sentence!

Cesc denied it all at the time of course (honestly as it turns out!) and odd though it may sound I couldn't have cared less anyway. The reason I wasn't that bothered was because the BBC reporter (a man I like and admire I may add) had made it perfectly clear that it was something said in the heat of the moment, in a fit of anger and it certainly did not mean that player wasn’t going to try for the team really.

"

Michael Steele/Getty Images

As we can see here, despite the reports of unrest between the player and his former manager, Fabregas was one of few Chelsea players to thank Mourinho on social media in the aftermath of his sacking:

As noted by Sale, reports have been swirling about Fabregas being unhappy all season.

The Secret Footballer had claimed earlier in the campaign that the former Barcelona and Arsenal playmaker was the leader of a dressing room revolt, but the story was removed and a subsequent apology issued.

Paul Gilham/Getty Images

Chelsea supporters clearly feel as though their No. 4 could have done more to help Mourinho keep his job at Stamford Bridge.

As Darren Lewis of the Daily Mirror noted during the Blues’ last home game with Sunderland, Fabregas was one of three players who was booed by the fans:

On the field, there’s no denying Fabregas hasn’t done enough this term. During his first few months as a Chelsea player, he was magnificent, dictating games, setting up goals and giving the Blues a calming influence in frantic periods of matches.

This term, he’s been a shadow of that player. Fabregas has looked totally off the pace in a plethora of matches and has allowed Chelsea to be totally overrun in midfield in many games. The deterioration of the form of his midfield partner, Nemanja Matic, has often left him defensively exposed too.

Julian Finney/Getty Images

As noted here by Squawka Football prior to last weekend’s games, the Spain international’s usually immaculate passing radar has also been skewed this season:

Fabregas may not be the most popular figure among the Chelsea fanbase, but it seems as though the Spaniard is keen to dispel potential speculation that he was the driving force behind any unrest behind the scenes.

While the supporters are annoyed with the midfielder at the minute, if new manager Guus Hiddink can get Fabregas back to his best once again, Chelsea will be much better off as a result. The fans getting off his back will only expedite that process, but with Mourinho’s departure still fresh in the minds of supporters, tensions are unlikely to be lifted for a while yet.