Barcelona vs. Osasuna: Cesc Fabregas Must Step Up Amidst Andres Iniesta Injury

Hey, Cesc Fabregas, you're on!

Remember all that talk about wanting to leave Arsenal for Barcelona to win trophies? Remember all the distraction you caused over the course of two years, wishing, hoping and dreaming to return to Spain, to jump the Gunners' sinking ship, to be a part of something special, something on the rise?

Well, guess what? It's time for your close-up!

Starting with Saturday's La Liga match against Osasuna, Fabregas will be expected to fill the void left behind in Barca's midfield by Andres Iniesta, who will be sidelined for at least a month after tearing his hamstring against AC Milan in the club's UEFA Champions League opener on Tuesday.

No easy task, considering that Iniesta is not only one of the finest midfielders in the world, but also a central cog in the Blaugrana's championship machinery. Prior to the 2011-12 season, Iniesta had brought 15 pieces of silverware back to Camp Nou over the course of his career, as opposed to just two for Fabregas at the Emirates, not including the Spanish Super Copa and the UEFA Super Cup this season.

Not that such an oversimplified metric is of any use in comparing the two. After all, Iniesta didn't win Barca's trophies on his own, but rather with the help of one of the most talented sides in the history of club football, while Fabregas can hardly be blamed entirely for Arsenal's shortcomings in the last six seasons.

That being said, Cesc wants to be like Don Andres, he wants to win like Don Andres, and now, at long last, he has the opportunity to do just that.

Chances are, he will do just that, at least until Iniesta returns to fitness. As tremendous a midfielder as Iniesta is, Fabregas is certainly no slouch, a fact about which Barca's brass are acutely aware. Cesc may not be the dynamic dribbler that Iniesta is, but his talents as a more static, physical midfielder should suit Barca's system perfectly nonetheless. If anything, Fabregas' increased presence will allow the Blaugrana to become tougher and more direct in the midfield.

If you're concerned that Barca may suffer from chemistry issues in Iniesta's absence, that they won't be able to carve up their competition in the meantime, don't be. For one, Barcelona will be fine so long as Xavi, Lionel Messi and David Villa are fit to wreak havoc on their opponents. As good as Iniesta is, one man does not a world-class club make. Thus, replacing him temporarily with a player as good as Fabregas shouldn't result in much of a drop-off, if any.

And let's not forget, Cesc has played with most of his current teammates before, with the Spanish national team and/or La Masia, Barcelona's youth program. Fabregas and Messi, in particular, have played like kids back at the academy since their reunion (see: here, here and here).

There are reasons for concern at Camp Nou, though. For one, Barca have not performed well of late, drawing at Real Sociedad in league play on Saturday and against AC Milan in Champions League group play earlier this week. Fabregas can hardly be blamed for those results, though they may be indicative of bigger problems to come with Iniesta and newly-acquired Chilean forward Alexis Sanchez out with injuries.

Then again, the Blaugrana encountered plenty of adversity in the early going last season, when Messi went down with a knock to his ankle in September and the club as a whole had to play through the distractions posed by ex-president Joan Laporta. None of that seemed to matter much once Barca finished the season as Primera Division and European champions.

The greatest worry for Barca may just be Cesc's hamstring. Fabregas has gone gimpy several times over the past two years on account of the same injury. Thus, with his medical history, Fabregas is always a risk to pull up lame on any given day on the pitch, especially if he is pressed into playing big minutes for Pep in Iniesta's absence. Should Cesc join Iniesta on the sidelines with a recurrence of his hampered hammy, Barca would be left woefully short in the midfield amidst a busy schedule, between La Liga and the Champions League. 

All told, Barca shouldn't miss a beat with Cesc taking over for Don Andres for the time being. Fabregas has spent most of his life preparing for this opportunity on stage with the world's most successful football club and, with his ability and comfort playing amidst a wildly talented first-team squad, should come up with a fearless performance to leave the Blaugranes applauding his every step.

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