Cesc Fabregas asks high-flying Como to refocus for Parma clash after historic Champions League triumph
Maintaining focus after European glory
Como find themselves in uncharted territory following a stunning 4-1 victory over RB Leipzig, a result that marked a historic debut in the Champions League for the Lariani. However, Fabregas is determined to ensure his squad does not suffer a continental hangover when they host Parma at the Stadio Sinigaglia. The former World Cup winner acknowledged the unique lure of Europe’s elite competition but stressed the need for professional recovery and mental recalibration ahead of Monday's kick-off.
"The emotion of playing your first Champions League match gets you pumped up. But now the emotions of the Champions League must be put aside and transformed into energy, against Parma we need another great performance," Fabregas stated. “I remember my debut at age 17, it’s special, and the Champions League does give a player different motivation. We’ve got to understand the importance of this game by recovering the right way, eating and drinking right."
Living the fairy tale in Lombardy
Como’s ascent from the depths of Serie B to the heights of European football in just three years has captured the imagination of the football world. Fabregas, however, remains grounded, insisting that the project’s success is built on hard work and unity rather than sentiment.
"From the outside it seems like a fairytale, I understand . Because no one expected it. The secret is the compactness of this group," Fabregas said. "I don’t get fired up when we do well, nor too downhearted when things go badly, so we must cut ourselves off from the media view and focus on our work."
The rise of Baturina and Diao
A central figure in Como's recent surge has been Martin Baturina, whose performances have earned him glowing praise from his manager. Fabregas described the Croatian playmaker as an "anarchic talent" who possesses an innate sense for the game. Baturina was instrumental in the demolition of Leipzig, showing a level of maturity that belies his 23 years. Alongside him, Assane Diao has also hit a rich vein of form, finally overcoming the injury concerns and psychological hurdles that hindered his debut season at the club.
"These players have potential, great talent, and are growing every day,” Fabregas explained. "Last season, partly also due to the injuries, Diao was more irritable when things went wrong, he was disturbed, afraid that something else would go wrong. Now he has found the right path and is calm, which isn’t easy after a long injury lay-off."
"The same is true of Baturina, who is a bit of an anarchic talent, he feels the right move to make. His first goal the other day was incredible, he always has the right posture and gets into the right place without needing to sprint. He also has ambition, hunger, that desire to go sliding in and get on the end of the ball."
A reunion with Diego Carlos
The clash with Parma also brings a sentimental sub-plot, as Como come face-to-face with Diego Carlos. The Brazilian defender was a key target for Fabregas during the summer transfer window, with the club eager to secure his services on a permanent basis following a successful loan spell. Despite intensive negotiations and a strong personal relationship between the manager and the player, the deal collapsed at the final hurdle, leading the veteran centre-back to join Monday's opponents instead.
"I spoke all summer to Diego, we have a great rapport. It’s true, he was always in our minds, but we had a wonderful conversation when it didn’t happen. He was part of our family, it didn’t happen in the end due to some minor details. There was a time last season when Kempf was injured and Ramon hadn’t played that often, so he really pushed to his limits, and we wanted to thank him," Fabregas noted.
