Cesc Fàbregas's tactical acumen was on full display as Como secured a vital win over Roma at the Stadio Giuseppe Sinigaglia. The match, a key encounter in the race for European qualification, saw both teams level on points in fourth place before kick-off. Italy manager Gennaro Gattuso was in attendance, though Como's squad lacks Italian players, with only two named in the first-team squad who have played a combined one minute in Serie A this season.
Roma took an early lead through a Donyell Malen penalty, awarded after Stephan El Shaarawy intercepted a pass and drew a foul from Diego Carlos. Despite this setback, Como remained composed, playing out from the back and bypassing Roma's press. Fàbregas's side focused on exploiting spaces, with Maxence Caqueret dropping deep to draw Roma defender Mario Hermoso out of position, and Jacobo Ramón advancing into attacking areas. In the 38th minute, Ramón came close to equalising, hitting the post from a Lucas Da Cunha cross.
Como's rapid rise from the fourth tier to challenging for Champions League football in seven years has drawn criticism, particularly due to the significant spending of billionaire owners the Hartono brothers, who have invested over €200m since promotion in 2024. The lack of Italian players has also been a point of contention, though Fàbregas has stated the club has struggled to attract domestic talent, with the best players already at top clubs like Inter and Juventus. He emphasised the club's focus on developing young Italian players through their academy.
In an interview with Rivista Undici, Como's president Mirwan Suwarso acknowledged that Fàbregas is likely to move on to a bigger club in the future. 'We would be stupid not to think that Fàbregas one day will go to Arsenal, Barcelona or Chelsea,' he said. For now, Fàbregas continues to impress, outwitting one of Serie A's most respected coaches in Gian Piero Gasperini to keep Como's European dreams alive.
