Cesc Fabregas on Leading Como from Serie B to Champions League Surprise

Cesc Fabregas has confessed that he had no idea Como even had a football team before deciding to take charge of the club. The former midfielder for Arsenal and Chelsea took a surprising turn in his career by joining the Italian side in Serie B, eventually guiding them to their first-ever Champions League qualification.

An Unplanned Start at Como

Fabregas revealed that his decision to join Como was based more on intuition than any deep knowledge about the club’s history. Despite having links to the area through vacations, he hadn’t known about the team until he got involved. Speaking at the Festival dello Sport in Trento, he said, "The Como project started in quite a strange way, because I had a few proposals, but I just felt this was the right decision. Sometimes you’ve just got to follow your gut. Funnily enough, I’d been to Como a few times on vacation, but I didn’t even know there was a football team here."

Tactical Growth Influenced by Antonio Conte

Fabregas began his managerial career officially in 2023, yet his tactical mindset was shaped much earlier during his playing days. While he played under top managers like Arsene Wenger and Vicente del Bosque, it was Antonio Conte who made the biggest impact on his understanding of tactics. Fabregas reflected, "The first time I saw that football was changing was when I met Conte at Chelsea. I was already 29, I had won a lot, but for example Arsene Wenger didn’t work much on tactics at Arsenal, even if he was one of the best in the world. The same is true of Del Bosque. With Conte, I saw this change. He was focused on the details. It was surprising and weighed on me at first because I couldn’t understand why someone had to tell me where to pass the ball; nobody had ever done that before."

Committed to a Clear Team Identity

Fabregas' coaching approach at Como centers on maintaining a strong team identity, regardless of the outcome on the pitch. His clear tactical vision has helped Como start the Serie A season strongly, sitting eighth after five matches with 10 points, only three behind leaders Roma. He shared, "The question I ask myself before every game is, how do I want to lose? I want to lose with my ideas. Because if you lose when having changed your identity and ideas, then the defeat is double. Sometimes the opponent is better than you, but meanwhile you learn some lessons, and you play with your philosophy."

Learning from Experienced Managers

Despite his quick rise, Fabregas stays grounded and acknowledges he still has much to learn. He’s faced tense moments, such as a notable confrontation with Massimiliano Allegri, which he sees as part of growing emotionally as a coach. He respects seasoned managers like Gian Piero Gasperini and values their guidance, saying, "I am young and still quite emotional. I hope that when I get it wrong, a more experienced coach will tell me. For example, Gian Piero Gasperini, who I have great respect for. I like to listen to people who know more than me."

• Club: Como
• League: Serie A
• Current Position: 8th
• Points from 5 matches: 10
• Gap from League Leaders (Roma): 3 points