As Premier League clubs head off to recharge their batteries for their first winter break, former Chelsea midfielder Cesc Fabregas could hardly hide his envy.
For the first time in Premier League history, each club will be given a weekend with no fixture scheduled in February.
The move is designed to give players a well-earned rest amid concerns over mid-season burnout following a congested festive period.
There have been some issues to iron out, though. Liverpool opted to field their entire youth team for their FA Cup replay against Shrewsbury to avoid the fixture interrupting their winter break plans.
Fabregas, who now plays for Ligue 1 side Monaco after leaving the Blues in January 2019, gave his opinion on the extended break.
Posting via his official Twitter account, Fabregas joked: "17 seasons ago I started to play in the Premier League, never even a little break during the season.
"First year I move away and they start having winter break! Fantastic".
Few would sympathise with the Spaniard's complaints, however, as the Ligue de Football Professionnel (LFP) give French clubs a 24-day interval in the season to rest before the second half of the season.
Fabregas made 350 Premier League appearances spanned over spells with Arsenal (2004-11) and Chelsea (2014-19), winning six trophies.
Read More
MORE ABOUT