Cesc Fabregas has opened up about what went on in the tunnel during the infamous brawl in 2004 between Arsenal and Manchester United after the Reds beat the Gunners 2-0.
Fabregas threw a pizza in the melee which hit United manager Sir Alex Ferguson.
Now, he admits that he was furious after United ended Arsenal’s unbeaten league run of 49 games but says he didn’t mean to hit the legendary manager with his slice of pizza.
Both teams came to blows in the tunnel as Arsene Wenger criticised Ruud van Nistlerooy and the managers exchanged heated words as the players brawled.
In an interview with ITV, Fabregas says he didn’t have the courage to fight so instead launched his pizza down the tunnel.
“We were 49 games unbeaten. They were so competitive but they were very smart people. I was getting a lot of stick as well.”
“I was very frustrated. You’re warming up and didn’t play. You’re annoyed you lost. I just went in quickly to the dressing room and there was some food there, I was starving.”
“I took a slice of pizza and we started hearing noises.”
“The first thing that occurred to me was to throw the pizza because I didn’t have the power or the courage maybe to go into that fight.”
Meanwhile, over on his channel, Vibe with Five, Rio Ferdinand said, “I don’t think he meant to throw it at the gaffer, I think he just dashed it out the door and the gaffer was walking past.”
Ferdinand remembers a security guard having to hold Sir Alex from storming into the changing room.
However in Ferguson’s autobiography published in 2013, he said he didn’t know who threw the pizza and that he was more pre-occupied with the fight in the tunnel and Wenger insulting his players.
18 years on and it’s still a talking point amongst fans and players alike.
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