You know who's watching. The man who left us with bitter sweet memories. Before the match:

" Tonight ill be watching Arsenal, my ex-team mates, friends and all the fans. I wish u all the best of luck cause u deserve to be in the CL."

After the match:

"Amazing! Come on!

The Arsenal midfield gets busy without Fabregas

Juan Mata is now a Chelsea target. Jadson disappeared down a black hole. Eden Hazard is the choice of the chattering class but there is no traction in the circles who make these things happen. Meanwhile, Nasri is on the cusp of leaving for City which further weakens the midfield.

Cesc Fabregas came on for the last 10 minutes in the second half to make his Barca debut as the match hung in the balance with Karim Benzema equalizing for Real moments before. Would this be the turning point for Real?

As it turned out Fabregas made a critical contribution to the winning goal when he found Messi with an incisive pass which the Argentinian turned towards Adriano who had timed his run to perfection.

At long last, Fabregas is at Barca

Cesc Fabregas who completed his move to Barcelona did not forget to praise his former coach.

"Wenger is like my second father. I am here, in large part because of him."

" Here you have a bad image of him but this is not so, I assure you.

Cesc Fabregas returns to his boyhood club

From the FCB website:

Arsenal FC and FC Barcelona have reached the beginnings of an agreement for the transfer of Cesc F bregas with the documents to be signed and the medical to take place on Monday.

The website also details his return to Barcelona after eight seasons with the Gunners where he established himself as one of the world's foremost midfielders.

A year late but tomorrow will see Fabregas don a FCB jersey

Cesc Fabregas is to land today evening in Barcelona and he's expected to undergo a medical examination before the club formalizes the deal tomorrow. He might be unveiled as early as Wednesday at Camp Nou for the second leg of the hugely anticipated Super Cup between Real Madrid and Barcelona.

I for one welcome the departure of Cesc Fabregas and Samir Nasri. Full disclosure, Fabregas is my favourite player at Arsenal and wear his no 4 jersey proudly to all the matches. You will find fewer fans more bereft when he leaves. And yet, there is a sense of overwhelming relief when he finally signs on the dotted line which brings this whole exhausting and none too edifying saga to closure.

" I'm so out of here!"

There are reports emerging out of Spain that Arsenal have agreed to Barca's offer of £25.4m for Fabregas with an additional £5.3m to be paid in performance related bonuses.

Cesc does not go untouched however as he pays his way out with a contribution of £4.

The latest offer tabled for £33m for Cesc Fabregas has been rejected by Arsenal. The actual amount was £28m with over £5m in variables. That figure comes from bonuses based on appearances made and titles won. This is still about £7m short of the price the Gunners are demanding for Fabregas. They are also clear they want a clean deal without backloaded payments.

Arsenal fans channel Jack Nicholson to yet another Cesc Fabregas story

The neverending Fabregas saga (TM) which so far has enveloped everyone in a stench so overpowering that Pepe Le Pew just dove off a bridge seems to have yet more twists.

Amongst them is now the distinct possibility that Cesc Fabregas might feature in Arsenal's last pre-season game against Benfica this weekend.

Let me go, I beg of you!

It appears Barca are inching their way to an agreement with Arsenal for Cesc Fabregas and are ready to meet their €40m demand. A large difference of €6m separate the clubs but Barca's solution is a combination of down payments and deferments. They are proposing a €34m up front and €6m to follow later in tranches.

Josep Maria Bartomeu is less sure about Cesc

Pep Guardiola seems to be very optimistic that the long drawn out Cesc Fabregas soap opera will finally be over this week. He hopes to include Fabregas in the US tour.

Barca have come back with a new bid said to be about £33m which is still short by a considerable margin from the £40m that Arsenal seeks.

Pep Guardiola's words have to be carefully parsed for how much they do not want Cesc Fabregas.

" We will fight to the end to try to get Cesc because we believe he will improve the team and the squad."

Nowhere in that sentence are the words "needed", "important", "future", "1000 year reign", "homecoming", or "enough already".

Former board member Nina Bracewell- Smith says its time to let go of Cesc

The Catalonians come back as anticipated with an improved bid for Cesc Fabregas now seemingly more determined than ever to bring closure to this long ordeal. For their part Arsenal seem to be equal partners in this negotiation process for the first time.

Queens of the Stone Age playing Long Slow Goodbye

There are signs that football's longest soap opera may finally be coming to a close. Arsenal has signaled its intention to negotiate after Barca indicated they're willing to improve on their previous bid for Cesc Fabregas. Sandro Rosell sent out a statement that the Gunners are looking at a figure in the region of £35m.

Cesc Fabregas reacts to Barca's offer: "Only £27m, scumbags!"

The Sun is reporting Barca have made an offer of £27m for Cesc Fabregas which has been rejected by Arsenal who are looking at least £35m.

But here is the pinch. There is absolutely nothing in the piranha like Spanish media on this supposedly huge breaking news.

Sandro Rosell: "Fab is not so fab, so lets fob you off"

Cesc Fabregas has been downgraded by his boyhood club. He should come cheaper as per Sandro Rosell after 'wear and tear'. A football Moody's rating if you must. By the way where did that Capello Index go?

This really should be seen as an insult more so as Barca announced on the same day their serious interest in landing Alexis Sanchez, the Udinese striker who will cost them a pretty packet.

Arsenal continued to find ways to get to goal only to be thwarted by poor finishing and Kasper's Schmeichel's goalkeeping. When the son of the Danish legend failed, Jonathan Howson was at hand to effect a goal line clearance.

Then came the moment which changed the match. Denilson stuck his leg out in unthinking fashion to trip Max Gradel after the Leeds winger got past him.

Cracking start to the second half of the season as Arsenal coasted to a win in the hostile environs of St Andrews. It is not easy to win there and for the Gunners, any trip to Birmingham dredges up bad memories, very bad memories. But they turned in a scintillating performance against a club that has only lost once in 29 other occasions at home.