Fabregas’s Impact and Squad Dynamics
Como 1907, under the guidance of head coach Cesc Fabregas, has been making significant strides, with president Mirwan Suwarso praising Fabregas for exceeding expectations and providing crucial direction to the club [1]. This leadership has seen Como rapidly ascend from Serie B to the Champions League within two seasons. Fabregas’s influence is also evident in his willingness to give young players opportunities, as highlighted by Mattia Liberali’s first start and subsequent goal for the club [2]. Liberali, who scored in Como’s 3-1 victory against Fiorentina, credited Fabregas for granting him freedom on the pitch. The club’s strategy includes developing young Italian talents, ideally from the Lombardy region, with an ambitious long-term goal of fielding an all-Italian squad [1]. Other key players like Nico Paz have also contributed to recent successes, scoring in the win against Fiorentina [3], while Lucas Da Cunha recently returned to the starting XI [4].
Recent Form and Injury Report
Como’s recent performances have been a mixed bag, showcasing strong domestic form alongside a challenging European debut. The team secured a notable 3-1 victory against Fiorentina in Serie A, with Mattia Liberali scoring his first Serie A goal on his first start, supported by a goal from Nico Paz [5]. This win followed a 4-1 thrashing of RB Leipzig on their Champions League debut [1]. However, Como also suffered their first UEFA defeat away to Feyenoord, losing 3-2 [6]. The squad is currently dealing with several significant injuries. Moise Kean is sidelined with a knee issue [4], while Assane Diao is on the treatment table after sustaining a muscular injury against Feyenoord [6]. Additionally, Yan Couto pulled out of the warm-up before the Fiorentina match due to injury and was replaced by Ivan Smolcic [5], and Trevoh Chalobah also sustained a muscular injury, being replaced by Jacobo Ramon [5]. Jean Butez conceded a goal in the recent Fiorentina match [3].
What it means
Como currently sits in 5th position in Serie A, having accumulated 14 points from 7 matches. Their record of 4 wins, 2 draws, and 1 loss, with 12 goals scored and 7 conceded, indicates a strong start to their domestic campaign. The recent form shows a mixed bag of results: a 3-1 Serie A win against Fiorentina, a 3-2 Champions League loss to Feyenoord, and a 0-0 Serie A draw against AS Roma. This suggests a team capable of securing victories but also susceptible to defeats, particularly in European competition. The upcoming fixture sees Como face Manchester United in the Champions League on October 21st. This match will be a significant test, requiring Como to leverage their domestic strengths while addressing the challenges posed by a demanding European schedule and a growing injury list.
Sources
- Football Italia: Suwarso: ‘Fabregas has exceeded all expectations at Como’ football-italia.net ↩
- Football Italia: Liberali: ‘I’m seeing a lot of good young Italians, Fabregas lets me do my thing’ football-italia.net ↩
- Football Italia: Why it took so long for referees to rule Pongracic equaliser offside against Como football-italia.net ↩
- Football Italia: Serie A official line-ups: Fiorentina vs. Como football-italia.net ↩
- Football Italia: Serie A | Fiorentina 1-3 Como: Liberali celebrates first Serie A goal football-italia.net ↩
- Football Italia: Fabregas and Vanoli outline Fiorentina vs. Como dangers football-italia.net ↩
