Cesc Fabregas tough league Ligue 1 battle with Messi arrival

Cesc Fabregas believes Monaco’s enthusiastic and talented young group of players are ready to push Lionel Messi’s Paris St Germain all the way in the Ligue 1 title race this season.

The Argentina captain was officially unveiled by PSG on Wednesday at a press conference at the Parc de Princes after he completed a shock move on a free transfer a day earlier.

Messi and Fabregas came through Barcelona’s famed La Masia academy before they spent three years as team-mates in the first-team at the Nou Camp, but they will be domestic rivals in France and the Monaco ace warned his good friend picking up more silverware in Paris will not be a formality.

Fabregas said: “Who would have thought Lille last season would win the title? Probably right now last year probably nobody, not even Lille themselves but they tried, did a really good campaign, stuck together and worked hard.

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“Of course in certain moments they were lucky but which team that wins a title is not lucky at certain points of the season? For this reason on paper yes PSG are the best team, but that doesn’t guarantee anything.

“They have had top teams in the past and they still didn’t manage to win what they are dreaming of, that is the Champions League. Obviously with Leo, the level increases a lot because I know he wants to win the Champions League and I know he goes there to basically win it so it will be tough.