'I didn't even know there was a team here!' - Cesc Fabregas reveals truth behind Como takeover after guiding Serie B outsiders to Champions League
The unexpected start of the Como project
Fabregas has opened up on the unconventional path that led him to the Stadio Giuseppe Sinigaglia, admitting that the club was not even on his radar despite his personal ties to the region. Having enjoyed a glittering playing career with Barcelona, Chelsea, and Arsenal, the Spaniard made the surprising move to Como in Serie B to finish his playing days before quickly transitioning into the dugout. The move has proved inspired, as he has overseen a historic rise that recently culminated in the club's first-ever qualification for the Champions League.
Reflecting on the decision to join the Italian side during an appearance at the Festival dello Sport in Trento, Fabregas explained that his choice was driven by intuition rather than a long-standing knowledge of the club's heritage. '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,' the World Cup winner said, as reported by Football Italia. 'Funnily enough, I'd been to Como a few times on vacation, but I didn't even know there was a football team here.'
The tactical awakening under Antonio Conte
Fabregas officially launched his managerial career in 2023, though he admits the foundation for his coaching philosophy was being built long before he hung up his boots. The World Cup winner enjoyed an extraordinary career as a player, lifting the Premier League and Europa League with Chelsea, alongside La Liga, the Copa del Rey, and the FIFA Club World Cup with Barcelona - among numerous other honours, most notably back-to-back European Championships and the 2010 World Cup during Spain's golden era. Yet, despite playing under legendary figures such as Arsene Wenger and Vicente del Bosque, it was an Italian manager who provided him with a profound tactical awakening.
'The first time I saw that football was changing it 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,' Fabregas explained when discussing his evolution as a tactician.
Sticking to his principles and identity
This attention to detail has informed his own management style at Como, where Fabregas operates with one specific watchword: an unwavering focus on team identity at all costs. His tactical clarity is already yielding impressive results, with Como currently sitting eighth in Serie A after gathering 10 points from their opening five matches - leaving them just three points adrift of league leaders Roma.
'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,' Fabregas stated.
Learning from the best in the business
Despite his rapid success, Fabregas remains humble about his standing among Europe's elite managers. He has already been involved in touchline flashpoints, including a notable clash with Massimiliano Allegri, but he views these moments as part of his emotional education.
'There have been some tense exchanges with colleagues, it's true. 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,' he concluded.
