Fabregas Previews Roma Clash, Addresses Injuries
Como coach Cesc Fabregas has provided insights ahead of his team’s Serie A clash against Roma this Sunday. Fabregas expressed significant admiration for Roma’s coach, Gian Piero Gasperini, while also addressing injury concerns for both sides.
The upcoming fixture sees two teams that secured Champions League spots last season, and both are currently positioned well after the initial five rounds of the new campaign. However, both clubs face challenges with player availability.
Roma will be without their goalkeeper, Mile Svilar, who is sidelined for a month due to injury. Fabregas acknowledged Svilar’s impact, stating, “Svilar has in my mind been the best goalkeeper in Serie A over the last two seasons.” For Como, striker Kean is expected to be out for seven to ten days after sustaining an injury during international duty. Fabregas confirmed, “Kean will be out for at least a week to 10 days, he had a nasty knock against Belgium.”
Coaching Philosophy and Arteta’s Example
Fabregas holds immense respect for Gasperini, highlighting their shared attacking philosophies. “I have great respect for how they play. Roma are a very positive and attacking team who commit men forward,” Fabregas noted. He added, “Gian Piero Gasperini helped so many players to step up in their careers. We both like to be attacking, to use the movement, and their matches are entertaining to watch.”
The Como coach also reflected on the pressures faced by managers in modern football, particularly the trend of quick dismissals. He drew parallels with Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta, praising his resilience. Fabregas observed, “I watched Arsenal and Mikel Arteta just renewed his contract with the club. Now you can see the results of his work, but at the start he didn’t do well, he let people criticise and talk. We’ve got to have clear ideas.” He emphasised the importance of a coach having strength and clear ideas over mere power within the system.
Navigating Como’s European Debut
This season marks a historic moment for Como, as they are participating in the Champions League for the very first time. This new experience presents unique challenges, particularly concerning player management and adaptation to a more demanding schedule.
Fabregas acknowledged the learning curve for his squad. “When playing many games, I must do well to understand how the team is reacting, because we’ve never done this before, and I can’t just explain to them how to do it,” he explained. He expressed a mix of worry and curiosity about how his team will respond to the increased demands, stating his desire to observe their reaction for his own coaching development. Roma, while not in the Champions League last season, have more recent experience in European competitions like the Europa League, offering them a degree of familiarity with such intense schedules.