When Cesc Fabregas picked himself up from the sodden Highbury turf and nursed bruises to his leg and his ego, the Arsenal midfielder knew it was time to come of age.
Fabregas had just been on the receiving end of a fierce tackle by former team-mate Patrick Vieira in the opening moments of a crucial UEFA Champions League match. Vieira would have known better than anyone that Fabregas's sublime passing could overwhelm Juventus if he was given the time to express himself, so he tried to ruffle a player not renowned for his physical power.
But Fabregas refused to be intimidated. There was not the slightest sign of deference to the man he had replaced in the Arsenal engine room as the Spaniard got to his feet and fixed Vieira with a steely glare. The teenager had shown he was willing to fight for the cause and his match-winning performance was the final piece in the jigsaw.
On a stage where reputations are made and broken in the blink of an eye, he overwhelmed the Italian side, scoring one goal and creating the other. Vieira's departure would never be mourned again.
Fabregas has passed virtually every test put before him since that night in March 2006 and, while Thierry Henry's departure to Barcelona may have deprived Arsenal of their talisman, it presents the youngster with the opportunity to become the club's new dominant force. With Real Madrid making their interest in Fabregas all too obvious this close-season, it would have been easy for him to follow in Henry's footsteps and move to Spain.
But ever since he decided to leave Barcelona's youth academy to try his luck with Arsenal, Fabregas has relished defying the odds. After speaking to Wenger, he realised he owed it to the French coach and himself to help re-establish Arsenal as serious Premiership challengers.
Manchester United, Chelsea and Liverpool can all make more convincing cases about their title credentials and even former Gunner Freddie Ljungberg believes the club's time has passed after the departures of so many stars. But Fabregas is adamant his side are strong enough to improve on two successive fourth place finishes.
"While I respect the opinions of Henry and Ljungberg, I believe this team can fight for the title," Fabregas said. "What I say is not madness. We got to the Champions League final in 2006, often playing without players like Henry, Ljungberg and Ashley Cole."
That unquenchable thirst for success has defined Fabregas since his childhood days back in his Catalan home in Arenys de Mar. Occasionally his will-to-win has boiled over into displays of petulance, as was apparent when he became embroiled in an on-pitch slanging match with Blackburn Rovers manager Mark Hughes last season.
Fabregas insists such immaturity is already a thing of the past and he sees no reason why he can't take over from Henry as captain in the future. "I have matured very much over the last two years and I am prepared to be the leader of the team," he said.
"Maybe then people won't ask me any more about becoming the next Patrick Vieira. I would love to captain Arsenal. It is a matter of enormous pride to me because the fans are always with me and that support is very valuable. I know how the fans suffer when we lose."
