Cesc Fabregas has admitted he thrived during feisty encounters as he has praised 'proper passion' shown during the clash between Chelsea and Arsenal in the 2007 Carling Cup final.
Tempers flared in the Blues' 2-1 victory over the Gunners in the League Cup showdown 13 years ago.
Jose Mourinho's side had the advantage before Arsenal defender Kolo Toure collided with Jon Mikel Obi.
The pair clashed and Frank Lampard and Fabregas were first on the scene. Referee Howard Webb sent off Toure, Mikel and Emmanuel Adebayor before Chelsea lifted the trophy.
And Fabregas, who was playing for Arsenal at the time but went on to join Chelsea, was reminded of the on-pitch spat by a fan on Twitter on Wednesday.
'I shouldn't be saying this but moments like this sometimes makes football even more special,' the midfielder said on the social media platform.
'Proper passion for wanting to win even if it's not always possible.'
Both Chelsea and Arsenal were charged by the Football Association with failing to control their players following the brawl at the Millennium Stadium.
