Cesc Fabregas pulled off one of the craziest feats in European football, taking Como from Serie B straight to qualifying for the Champions League in what is the club’s first-ever European experience. And get this: when he first decided to go there, he admitted he didn’t even know the city *had* a football team. Talk about a surprise!
The Gut Decision That Shocked Europe
Fabregas, a global star during his playing days with Barcelona, Chelsea, and Arsenal, ended his career at Como and then, mere months after hanging up his boots, transitioned into a coaching role. He explained his move to the Festival dello Sport event in Trento, saying he “followed my gut.” He had other offers, but this one “felt this was the right decision.” He even mentioned he’d been to Como on vacation a few times, completely unaware of their football club. That gut feeling, though, has totally transformed Como history, pushing them into Europe’s top competition. Among the few players who were there for this whole wild ride is Lucas Da Cunha, whose incredible performances under Fabregas earned him a senior France debut. Fabregas can’t say enough about him, praising Da Cunha’s “incredible mentality and hunger.” He even stated, “I prefer a player with less talent, but more hunger, who wants to have an incredible career, more than someone who has already earned his money and done his dues.” That’s a philosophy right there, isn’t it?
Identity Over Everything
If there’s one thing Fabregas obsesses over for his football, it’s identity. He’s got a specific watchword, a question he asks himself before every single game: “how do I want to lose?” His answer? “I want to lose with my ideas.” For him, if you lose after abandoning your identity and ideas, “then the defeat is double.” He believes sometimes the opponent is simply better, but in those moments, you still learn lessons, and critically, you play with your own philosophy. This mindset is clearly baked into everything Como does.
Conte’s Eye-Opening Tactics
Fabregas started his coaching journey in 2023, but he shared that the groundwork was laid long before that, during his playing career. He pinpointed an Italian coach who gave him a huge revelation about the changing landscape of football. “The first time I saw that football was changing it was when I met Conte at Chelsea.” Fabregas was 29 at the time, already having won a lot. He noted that legends like Arsene Wenger at Arsenal and Del Bosque didn’t focus much on tactics, even though they were among the best in the world. But with Antonio Conte, things were different. “With Conte, I saw this change. He was focused on the details.” Fabregas admitted it was surprising and even “weighed on me at first,” because he couldn’t grasp why someone needed to tell him where to pass the ball when “nobody had ever done that before.” But then, after ten days of training, it clicked. A full-back passed him the ball, he immediately sent it to Diego Costa, and Costa scored. Fabregas’s thought in that moment? “I’”.
With Fabregas at the helm, focused on his core identity and a hunger-first approach, it is clear Como is just getting started on this wild ride.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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