Cesc Fabregas is making the same point every time he speaks about Como, and he did it again in Trento. “Da Cunha called up to France and Nico Paz to Argentina are, for me, like a trophy,” he said at the Festival dello Sport, putting player development ahead of the usual talk about medals and rankings. That stance fits the job he has built since officially launching his managerial career in 2023.

Fabregas' idea of success

The quote that cuts through most is the one about failure. “The question I ask myself before every game is, how do I want to lose? I want to lose with my ideas,” Fabregas said. That is not a throwaway line. He is saying Como’s identity comes first, even when the result does not.

He repeated the same message in more expansive terms when he told Sky Sport Italia: “At Como we have a vision, a clear idea... and I prefer now to grow here, to enhance these players who for me and for the club are the most important thing for growing an identity.” Fabregas is not pretending trophies do not matter, but he is pushing the club as a project built on coaching, trust and player growth rather than a quick jump to a bigger bench.

The youth pathway and squad turnover

That approach is visible in the way Como are putting players through the system. Fabregas said the club now has three Italian players in the under-16s, three in the under-17s, three in the under-18s, three in the under-19s, one in the under-21s and two in the first team. He also said Como have made 31 operations in and out, or about 15 transfers every six months.

That much movement creates risk, and Fabregas said as much. He described the turnover as hard to manage for staff and coaches, while warning that 4-5 players can be short of experience and time to settle into the group dynamic. The point is plain enough: Como are building fast, but they are not building slowly.

Even so, the progress is there on the pitch. Como sit 8th in Serie A with 10 points from their opening 5 matches, 3 points behind league leaders Roma. Lucas Da Cunha has played 5 Serie A matches this season and has a 7.16 rating, while Nico Paz has also made 5 league appearances and holds a 7.4 rating. Those are the sort of numbers that make Fabregas’s pitch easier to defend.

The one part of the story that remains open is his own future. Como president Mirwan Suwarso has already said, “He can go wherever he wants, whenever he wants,” and has compared Fabregas to Johan Cruyff for the foundations he has created. But the coach himself is still talking like someone invested in what Como become next, not what job might come after this one.

FAQ

Why is Cesc Fabregas treating Como like a long-term project?

Fabregas says Como have a clear vision and he prefers to keep growing there rather than chase something else. He calls player development, unity and identity the most important parts of the club’s growth, and says he would rather lose with his ideas than change them.

Are Lucas Da Cunha and Nico Paz really central to Como’s progress?

Fabregas points to Lucas Da Cunha’s call-up to France and Nico Paz’s call-up to Argentina as trophies in their own right. Both have made 5 Serie A appearances this season, and Como sit 8th in Serie A with 10 points from their first 5 league matches.

How much change has Como gone through under Fabregas?

Fabregas said Como have made 31 operations in and out, or about 15 transfers every six months. He also said the club now has three Italian players in the under-16s, three in the under-17s, three in the under-18s, three in the under-19s, one in the under-21s and two in the first team.

Written by Daniel Hartley with AI-assisted research, cross-checked against 4 outlets. How we work →