News Focus
- Fabregas prioritises player personality and mentality over pure data statistics when building his Como squad.
- The Spanish coach led Como from Serie B to Champions League qualification in just two years.
- He describes Serie A as a ‘university of football’ where opponents quickly adapt to cancel out your strengths.
- Fabregas claims Italian defensive tactics are uniquely complex and difficult to read compared to the Premier League, La Liga or Bundesliga.
- He criticises clubs that sign players without consulting the manager or building personal trust.
Cesc Fabregas has shared the secrets behind his rapid success at Como. The Spanish manager took the Italian club from Serie B to Champions League qualification in only two seasons. He now explains how his unique approach to recruitment and the extreme complexity of Italian tactics shape his work.
Fabregas puts human connection before computer data when he signs new players. He meets potential recruits to discuss their family lives and personal values before talking about football. “I want to understand their mentality first,” he said. “I explain our culture and how we work. When a coach trusts his players blindly, he gets better results than someone who only follows good data.”
The former Arsenal and Chelsea star also warned that clubs make big mistakes when they buy players without asking the coach. He believes the manager must know and trust the squad to improve performance on the pitch.
Fabregas calls Serie A a “university of football” because of its tactical demands. He noticed that rival teams study your style and adapt within just a few months. Unlike in England, Spain or Germany, Italian sides focus on pressing and defending to stop you rather than attacking.
“They try to drag you into physical duels and kill your game,” Fabregas explained. Como lacks physical power, so they must use technical skill to break down organised defences. He finds Italian defensive systems much harder to analyse than those in other leagues. “Sometimes it is impossible to understand what is happening,” he admitted. “You see clear structures in the Premier League, but here it requires great attention to detail.”