Cesc Fabregas has revealed that he considered Jose Mourinho a "friend" but that he no longer speaks to Pep Guardiola.
After leaving Barcelona as a youngster for Arsenal, Fabregas developed into one of the finest midfielders in the world in London, eventually earning a move back to the Camp Nou to play under Guardiola.
He was joining a team who had swept away all before them, as they had won three La Liga titles in a row and two Champions Leagues under the tenure of Guardiola.
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With the pair together, they would only win the Copa del Rey, however, with Real Madrid besting the Blaugrana to the league in 2011/12.
Guardiola would leave after that season, while Fabregas would help Barca reclaim the title in 2013.
He would eventually fall out of favour, with Mourinho bringing him back to London with Chelsea where he would win two Premier Leagues.
The Spaniard has nothing but admiration for the coach who helped revitalise his career.
"Mourinho was the one who inspired me the most to leave Barça," Fabregas told Tot Costa.
"He told me about his project. I prioritised the professional side, and today I continue to write with him and consider him a friend, he helped me a lot at the time and maybe with him I played one of my best seasons."
As for Guardiola, Fabregas suggests some behind-the-scenes fall out as he reveals he doesn't speak to his compatriot anymore.
"With Guardiola, I have not spoken again," he said. "There are things that happened that I do not have to talk about.
"He was my idol in my childhood, perhaps he is the person from whom I have learned the most as a player, as an idol and later as a coach, but that's it."
Fabregas is currently with Monaco, having joined the Ligue 1 side in January of 2019.
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